We’ve already defined the direction and speed of music. It’s now time to discover which instruments make up the typical orchestra. Normally, there are four sections: Brass, string, percussion, and woodwind. Newer orchestras may include electronic and electric instruments as stand-alone units, which is a common 21st century addition to the traditional four families.
We refer to instruments as being part of a “family” because they’re all related to each other through similar material, sound, and look. Here’s Frederick Symphony Orchestra’s breakdown of a typical orchestra, including our roster of talented musicians and their preferred instruments:
String
The string section of the FSO is comprised of the string bass, cello, violin, harp, and viola.
The Orchestra has bassists who have mastered the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra. Next to them are our gifted cellists who excel with the Italian-born instrument. Also called the violoncello, the cello is played with 4 strings that are tuned in perfect fifths.
Our harpists are experts with plucking their fingers to the tune of the Orchestra’s songs. Near them are our viola players, who perform with an instrument slightly larger in size and offers a lower and deeper sound than that of a violin.
Our multitude of violinists are grand musicians when they pick up a bow. The individuals, including August’s spotlight musician Brooke Burnette, understand the ins and outs of the smallest and highest-pitched instrument in this family.
Brass
The FSO’s brass section is comprised of the French horn, euphonium/trombone, trumpet/tenor and alto horn, and tuba. Some orchestras also include a baritone horn, cornet, flugelhorn, mellophone, and sousaphone.
Our French hornists have mastered the most common brass instrument in the professional orchestra. Its tubing wrapped into a coil with a flare bell make a beautiful sound alongside our euphoniumists (a valved brass instrument that resembles a small tenor-pitch tuba, played mainly in brass and military bands) and trombonists.
The FSO trumpeters know best when it comes to performing with the highest-registry instrument in the brass family. Though commonly used in jazz bands, trumpets make our orchestra sound even better. Finally, our tubists complete the section with the lowest-pitched and largest instrument in this family.
Woodwind
The woodwind family of the Frederick Symphony Orchestra includes bassoonists, clarinetists, flutists/piccoloists, English hornists/oboists, and saxophonists for a dreamy section. Other orchestras also use the contrabassoon.
Percussion
Our percussionists play multiple different instruments. The most common instruments in our Symphony’s percussion family include the bass drum, chimes, cymbals, gong, maracas, snare drum, tambourine, triangle, timpani, and xylophone. Some orchestras also include the piano in this family while others use them as stand-alone units.
From left stage to right, it takes many brilliant people to make an orchestra work. Aside from our gifted musicians, the Frederick Symphony Orchestra’s concertmaster Alyssa Boxhill and conductor/music director Glenn Quader help make every performance possible. We also couldn’t do without the instrumentalists who volunteer their free time to the Board of Directors, which assists in everything behind the curtain.
If you’d like to join the ranks of these talented local musicians for our 20th Anniversary season, auditions for our semi-professional community orchestra are August 25, 2016, at 7 p.m. in Frederick Community College. Visit the bottom of our homepage for more details and a submission form.
The Frederick Symphony Orchestra looks forward to seeing you.