Konzertmeister

Also Called. First Chair, First Violinist, Concertmistress. 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.

You may have wondered about the different roles within an orchestra. The person with their back to the audience leading the orchestra is known as the conductor. The conductor may be the most visible part of the orchestra because they are often poised on a raised platform or pedestal.

A major reason for this was because composers began to write more harmonically robust music that didn't require lugging a harpsichord around. And since violinists weren't going anywhere, the concertmaster became the orchestra's player-coach.

The concertmaster (from the German Konzertmeister), first chair (U.S.) or leader (U.K.) is the principal first violin player in an orchestra (or clarinet in a concert band).

The concertmaster leads the orchestra in its tuning prior to the concert, and customarily plays all of the violin solos within pieces. In addition, the concertmaster marks the orchestra's scores with the appropriate bowings – so all the violinists are moving and playing in unison.

In music. The word maestro is most often used in addressing or referring to conductors. Less frequently, one might refer to respected composers, performers, impresarios, musicologists, and music teachers.

baton Nowadays conductors use either a baton (for a large ensemble) or just their hands. There are set patterns and gestures which communicate key features of the music, but since the players often already have those features written on their scores this isn't the conductor's main role.

The general manager of an orchestra oversees its human and financial resources, and is responsible for scheduling and production; negotiating and fulfilling contracts with musicians, venues, and vendors; and managing the details of the orchestra's recording, electronic media, and outreach projects.

Today, the concertmaster, almost always the first violinist, tunes the orchestra, plays solo passages and specifies how the violin parts should be played, and acts as a liaison between the conductor and musicians.

An orchestra violinist is a professional instrumentalist who plays the violin in an orchestra, which is a group of professionals who play various instruments to perform classical music. The violinists are members of the string section. Some musicians play the first violins, which define the melody.

The concertmaster sits to the conductor's left, closest to the audience, in what is called the first chair. The concertmaster makes the decisions on bowing and other technical details of violins, and sometimes all of the string players. He or she leads the orchestra in tuning before concerts and rehearsals.

Today, the concertmaster, almost always the first violinist, tunes the orchestra, plays solo passages and specifies how the violin parts should be played, and acts as a liaison between the conductor and musicians.