MUSIC

The character of the tone produced by an instrument is called timbre, the fourth
element of music. Each instrument and each type of human voice has its own quality of
tone or color.

1. Chamber Music Groups – music intended for performance in an intimate

setting, involving between one and approximate eight players, each playing an
independent part.

 Solo – one player

 Duo or duet – two players
 Trio – three players
 Quartet – four players
 Quintet – five players
 Sextet – six players
 Septets, octets, nonettes, etc., can be made up of various combinations of
instruments.

2. Larger Ensembles – instrumental groups with more than eight to ten players
usually perform with a conductor.

 String orchestra – consist of first violins, second violins, violas, cellos and
basses.

 Woodwind choir – made up of flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons.

 Brass choir – has French horns, trumpets, cornets, trombones and tuba.

 Percussion Ensemble – has from two to ten players playing various

combinations of percussion instruments.

 Symphonic wind ensemble – combination of a woodwind choir, a brass

choir and a percussion ensemble.

 Concert band – usually has more than one player on each part.

 Jazz ensembles – vary from small ensemble such as piano, vibraphone,

bass, and drums to large stage or concert jazz bands with five saxophones,
(players may play also double flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon) five
trumpets, five trombones, piano, guitar, string bass and drums.

 Chamber orchestra – consist basically of the string orchestra plus a small

number of additional keyboard, woodwind, brass or percussion
instruments.

 Symphony Orchestra – composed of instruments from the string,

woodwind, brass and percussion sections, occasionally with special
instruments added.
Vocal Ensembles

1. Chamber Ensembles – may range from one to eight or more voices, with or
without accompaniment.

2. Large Vocal Ensembles

 Women’s choruses – Soprano 1, Soprano 2, Alto 1 and Alto 2.

 Men’s choruses – Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bass 1 and Bass 2.

 Mixed Chorus – four grouping of soprano, alto, tenor and bass.

 A Capella Choir – performs music without instrumental accompaniment.

CONDUCTING – this has been often defined as the art of leading a group through the
use of bodily movements and facial expressions in the interpretation of vocal as well as
instrumental compositions.

CONDUCTING ESSENTIALS

1. Preparatory Beat – prepares the singers to attack on the beat; this is usually the
beat which comes before the attack beat; its purpose is also to allow the singers to
breathe at the same time.

2. Attack Beat – start of the phrase.

3. Release Beat – end of the phrase or section – should be clearly seen by the choir
members so that the cessation of the sound will be done altogether.

4. Cueing – usually done with the left hand – used for entrances of voice parts and
dynamic or tempo changes, as well as in rhythm.