Glossary

Read below to learn some key terms used in symphony orchestras!

chamber music:  music played by a small ensemble, usually with one player per part, some examples of chamber music include string quartets and woodwind quintets

chord:  a group of three or more notes played at the same time

commissioned: a musical piece that is written by a composer for a specific group, person, or event

concerto:  a work for a soloist with orchestral accompaniment, usually in three movements in a fast-slow-fast pattern; features highly technical writing to show off the instrument. Concertos for piano and violin are the most common.

conservatory:  a specialized school, usually at the university level, that focuses on music and other performing arts to train professional musicians

genre:  a category of music that has similarities in style or form; a way to organize and identify music (opera, classical, k-pop, rock, etc.)

incidental music:  music used in a play to help create the atmosphere of the production

melody:  a consecutive sequence of notes that is the principal part of the music, the part you can hum along or sing along with

movement:  a section of a larger work; several movements make up the complete composition, usually three for a sonata or concerto, typically four for a symphony

opera:  a composed and completely sung staged art form featuring sets and costumes; can be funny or tragic

suite:  a multi-movement instrumental composition that has a collection of pieces; originally suites were based on Baroque dances. Later composers used suites as a way to present larger works in a smaller setting for performance.

tempo:  the Italian word for time, an indication of what speed the piece should be played

theme:  a frequently occurring melody or small group of notes that occurs throughout a composition

tone poem:  a one-movement symphonic work that draws inspiration from an outside source such as a painting, story, or poem. The composer uses the music to portray the events or images.

tremolo:  a rapid back and forth between two notes that creates a wavering sound