An orchestra belongs to the number of the most influential and ancient manifestations of human creativity. Orchestras, which are a combination of strings, winds, brass and percussion, produce music that border on the classical masterpieces to the modern film scores. Other than entertainment, the orchestra is a symbol of discipline, teamwork and culture.
What Is an Orchestra?
Even in its simplest form, an orchestra is much more than a collective of musicians playing in harmony; it is a living breathing entity in the sense that dozens of people come together and combine their skills to form one voice in art. Orchestra is generally composed of various families of instruments such as strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion that contribute their own sound, texture and contribution to the overall orchestra. The strings which are usually the most massive part form the background with the sweeping melodies and harmonies. The wood winds bring in color and warmth, the brass bring in strength and pomp and the percussion bring on rhythm and dramatic force.
A combination of these creates a tapestry of sound
that can drift towards the most inaudible murmur of a single flute to the most deafening roar of full orchestral sound playing together.
What is impressive about the orchestra is not merely the amount of musicians involved but the sense of accuracy and unity with which they play all in direction of the conductor,
who guarantees that each note, each halt, each crescando is exactly right.
The Role of the Conductor
When individuals consider an orchestra,
one of the main images that immediately comes to mind is that of the conductor standing high
on the podium holding a baton in his/her hand leading dozens of musicians through a performance.
Although the conductor could be assumed to be nothing more than someone who keeps time,
his or her duties are much more than that.
The conductor is the artistic core and the visionary head of the orchestra,
the personage who deciphers a musical score and turns it into the living performance.
Each movement, nod, and wave of the baton has a meaning,
which not only predetermines the rhythm but also the emotional nature, harmony and intensity of the music.
In the absence of this common cause,
the orchestra would have been a group of great individuals who could play together at the same time but have no consolidation to bring out the masterpiece.