What is a concertmaster in an orchestra?

The first chair violinist of an orchestra—known as the concertmaster—is a vital musical leader with widely ranging responsibilities, from tuning the orchestra to working closely with the conductor.

Who assumes the role of concertmaster in an orchestra?

In a concert band, where there is no violin section, the role of concertmaster is generally taken on by the first clarinetist, who sits in the same position in relation to the conductor as the violin concert master does: just on the conductor’s left, closest to the audience.

What is the difference between a concertmaster and a conductor?

“The role of a Conductor is to unify a large group of musicians into a core sound instead of a wild bunch of different sounds surging out; the role of a Concertmaster is to decode the conductor’s information, and transmit it to the orchestra, plus to his section; the role of Principals is to use all this information …

Does soloist shake hands with concertmaster?

That confident violinist who strides across the stage after everyone else, lifts her bow, waits for an oboe to sound ‘A’ and tunes the orchestra. When the conductor strides out, the concertmaster is the only one who gets to shake her hand.

What do the movements of a conductor mean?

The conductor traces shapes in the air that measure and indicate each beat according to changes from downward to upward motion. There is also the downbeat, which indicates the first beat in a bar. To signal the occurrence of the beat, the conductor then changes the direction of the baton instantly.

Does the concertmaster bow?

In performances given in America and/or featuring American or British orchestras, the concertmaster will usually walk onstage individually after the rest of the orchestra is seated, and bow and receive applause before the conductor appears.

What is the director of the entire orchestra called?

The principal conductor of an orchestra or opera company is sometimes referred to as a music director or chief conductor, or by the German words Kapellmeister or Dirigent (or, in the feminine, Dirigentin).

Why is the leader of an orchestra always a violinist?

That is, they give cues for when to start and stop, etc. They are relied upon to keep the group together. They have the melody and they are the leader. Since the First Violinist in a quartet has traditionally been the leader of that group, it makes sense that they are the leader in a string orchestra, too.

How much does a first chair violinist make?

It usually ranges from $100k – $500k. And if by “major symphony” you mean a top 20 orchestra, then it’s typically $300k – $650k.

Is the soloist the concertmaster?

The concertmaster practises and performs a whole programme for the performance while a violin soloist only practices the solo concerto. The concertmaster is an important person through the whole orchestra and the conductor and sometimes with the violin soloist too.

What do conductor hands mean?

At the beginning of a piece of music, the conductor raises his hands (or hand if he only uses a single hand) to indicate that the piece is about to begin. This is a signal for the orchestra members to ready their instruments to be played or for the choristers to be ready and watching.