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“The cymbals look like two giant metal discs which are either rubbed together to make a rustling sound, or stuck together to make a large crash!”

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“The xylophone is part of the percussion family, and is composed of a frame which supports wooden bars of varying lengths, generally placed in the same way as a piano keyboard.”

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“Part of the woodwind family, the bass clarinet has the deepest sound of the clarinet family. The instrument is so big that it must be supported by a floor peg.”

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“The bass drum is made of a cylindrical wooden frame called the shell, with two thin sheets of plastic pulled taut across either side to create the drum heads.”

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“Like its cousins the oboe and English horn, the sound of a bassoon is produced by vibrations formed by the player blowing through a double reed fixed to a long, curved metal tube called a bocal, which connects the reed to the body of the instrument.”

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“Much larger than its smaller cousins, the cello is played while sitting, with the body of the instrument placed between the legs of the player.”

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“Like the oboe, the sound is produced with a reed. This time it is a flat, single reed attached to a plastic mouthpiece, into which the player blows, which causes the vibrations to resonate through the instrument, giving it the dynamic range for which it is known.”

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“The double bass, or just bass for short, is the lowest instrument in the string family. Like the cello, the instrument is fixed to the ground with an endpin.”

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“Part of the woodwind family, the English horn is a larger version of the oboe with a pear-shaped bell, usually made of grenadilla wood. There is usually only one in an orchestra and the player sits in the oboe section. The player blows into a double reed which vibrates and resonates into the instrument, producing a sweet and melancholic sound. The range of the English horn is slightly lower than that of the oboe.”

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“Though the modern flute is constructed of metal, it is actually considered part of the woodwind family, as earlier iterations of the instrument were made of wood. Modern flutes are made of silver, gold, or platinum.”

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“Though there are numerous types of harps, it’s the classical harp which is used in an orchestra. Played by plucking the strings, it is a real challenge for the fingers of anyone who decides to play it.”

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“In the brass family, the French horn, or just horn for short, is easily identified thanks to its round body. It is constructed out of brass, a mix of copper and zinc, lending it its golden colour.”

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“The oboe is normally made of grenadilla, a very dense wood, and its keys are made of metal. Like the English horn and bassoon, one produces a sound with an ancient and very peculiar invention: the double reed!”

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“There are two kinds of instruments in the string family, the first are the “bowed” instruments, like the violin. The second are the plucked, or hammered instruments, like the piano, whose strings are struck by a small hammer which moves when a player pushes down a key.”

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“Only half the size of a regular flute, it is the highest instrument of the entire orchestra, bringing brilliance and vibrancy. It is easy to discern its high timbre even when the orchestra plays “tutti”, meaning everyone together at once.”

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“A timpanist usually has four drums in front of them and uses different sticks to create the wide range of sounds required by the repertoire.”

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“Part of the brass family, the trombone was originally played in religious settings before becoming part of the orchestra. While there are various kinds of trombones, with different registers and mechanisms, there are generally two tenor trombones and one bass trombone in an orchestra.”

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“Part of the brass family, the trumpet is made from a metal alloy called brass, which is a mix of copper and zinc. There are generally two to four trumpets in an orchestra.”

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“The player rests the instrument on their leg, who produces sound by blowing and “buzzing” into the mouthpiece, pushing down or releasing the valves to change the pitch.”

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“Part of the string family, the viola can be thought of as the bigger cousin of the violin. Though practically identical, the sound of the viola is lower and less piercing than that of the violin.”

The Orchestra Up Close highlights the role of the first violins in an orchestra, focusing on their leadership, placement, and the responsibilities of the concertmaster. It also features insights from an Orchestre Métropolitain violinist and includes musical examples showcasing the first violins. For more information, you can visit the page.