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Guide To The Orchestra

Radio 3

Classical Music

Guide to the Orchestra

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BBC Performing Groups Singers National Orchestra of Wales Scottish Symphony Orchestra Philharmonic Concert Orchestra Symphony Orchestra
BBC Proms
Young Musician of the Year

violinists at work

  

bassoon

Woodwind Would you expect
to find a saxophone
in an orchestra?

trumpet

Brass They're loud, bright, bold and make a fantastic noise.

Listen to the Orchestra

listen Bernstein's West Side Story

listen Beethoven's 5th Symphony

listen Elgar's Enigma Variations

listen Stravinsky's Rite of Spring

violin

Strings From romance to mayhem, the strings will play on your heartstrings.

piano

Keyboards Did you know that the synthesiser is sometimes used in an orchestra?

bass drum

Percussion There are more of
these than you
can imagine!
Check out a few.

conductor

Conductor What's all the hand-waving for? Find out here.

Woodwind
 

Brass
 
Flute
Trumpet
Oboe
French Horn
Clarinet
Trombone
Bassoon
Tuba
 
 

Strings

Percussion
Violin
Tuned
Viola
Untuned
Cello
Timpani
Double Bass
 
Harp
 

Keyboards

Conductor

LEARN AN INSTRUMENT
Which instrument, which age, finding teachers, buying guide and the perils of practice

 

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