An orchestra is a large group of instrumental musicians playing
together under the direction of a conductor. Orchestras
usually include four sections: percussion, brass,
woodwinds, and strings. Players
of similar instruments
sit together, with the
conductor keeping
time up front.Orchestra
Most orchestras
have one or
two harpsWhen blown through its
reed – a very thin piece of
wood – the bass clarinet
makes a rich, full sound276
XylophoneBass
drumSnare drumCymbalsTriangleFre
nch hornGlockenspielTrumpetBass (^) clarinet
Piccolo
Clarinet
Flute
Oboe
Viola
Harp
Violin
Conductor’s
stand
(^12)
6
7
9
(^1) PERCUSSION
These instruments make sounds
when struck, and include items that
can be tuned to different notes
(glockenspiels and xylophones) as
well as those which cannot (drums,
cymbals, and triangles).
(^2) BRASS
Blowing air through hollow
brass tubes produces sound in
instruments such as trumpets and
French horns. The note is changed
by pressing down valves.
(^3) LOW BRASS
Trombones, bass trombones,
and tubas play the middle to
lower brass notes in the orchestra.
The trombone has a slide that
moves up and down to change the
note. The tuba plays the lowest
notes, which boom out from its
bell-shaped end.
(^4) WOODWINDS
This section of the orchestra
includes piccolos, flutes, clarinets,
bass clarinets, oboes, English horns,
bassoons, and contrabassoons.
Players blow air over a hole or
through a reed to make notes.
(^5) TIMPANI
These percussion instruments are
giant copper bowls with skin-like
heads struck by wool-topped sticks.
They are also called kettledrums.
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