English Across The Curriculum
Orchestra - Exercises
1
Answer
the following questions in your own words
!
What kind of music do orchestras play?_____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Name a few famous orchestras :___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
How many musicians can an orchestra have ?________________________________________________
What is a score ?________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
What special role does the leading first violinist have ?________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Name at least four string instruments :_____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Which woodwind instruments have the lowest tones ?_________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Name a few percussion instruments :_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
What must the conductor do before the concert begins ?______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
What does he often have in his hand ?______________________________________________________
Where does the word “orchestra” come from ?_______________________________________________
When and where did the first orchestras play ?_______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Which composers were famous for writing classical symphonies ?_ ______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
What is a chamber orchestra ?_____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
English Across The Curriculum
Orchestra - Exercises
Match
2
the Words with the definitions
A
conductor
long piece of music, usually in four parts,
written for an orchestra
B
note
when all the musicians practise before a performance
C
professional
person who writes music
D
symphony
very sharp, high tone ; not nice to hear
E
cymbal
to do something so long that you can do it
very well
F
harp
someone who stands in front of a group of
musicians and directs them
G
piercing
stick with which the conductor directs the
orchestra
H
rehearsal
different
I
rattle
musical instrument in the form of a thin round
metal plate which you hit
J
switch
to do something for money
K
perfect
small group of musicians who play classical
music together
L
stage
small instrument that looks like a flute
M
composer
large instrument with strings that you play
with your fingers
N
chamber orchestra
high area of a hall or theatre on which the
musicians sit when they perform
O
various
to shake quickly many times
P
piccolo
a symbol on paper that stands for a musical
sound
Q
baton
change
English Across The Curriculum
Orchestra - Exercises
3
Finish
the sentences in a meaningful way
!
The first orchestras were organized________________________________________________________
Before the concert the conductor__________________________________________________________
The woodwind section consists of__________________________________________________________
The concertmaster_ _____________________________________________________________________
Orchestras give concerts but also__________________________________________________________
Mozart and Haydn_______________________________________________________________________
Each musician only sees__________________________________________________________________
4
True
or False
?
T
Orchestras always perform with a group of singers.
In a score each musician sees the notes of the players in his section.
Chamber orchestras are smaller than symphony orchestras.
The string section of an orchestra only consists of violins .
Cellos and string basses play lower sounds.
The concertmaster helps the other musicians tune their instruments.
Percussion instruments are those that you can hit, rattle or shake.
Pianos are always a part of the percussion section.
The conductor directs the orchestra with cymbals.
The word orchestra comes from ancient Greece.
Stravinski and Strauss perfected the symphony in the late 1700s.
F
English Across The Curriculum
Orchestra - Exercises
5
Write
about the four parts of an orchestra
the boxes
!
! Fill
the information into
English Across The Curriculum
Orchestra - Exercises
6
Crossword
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
AcrossCreated with EclipseCrossword — www.eclipsecrossword.com
Down
1.
3.
6.
woodwind instrument with a low tone
person who writes music
famous musician that perfected the symphony
9. large instrument with strings that you play
with your fingers
11. very important instrument in the string section
14. a stick that the conductor has in his hands
15. very large instrument that you hit
16. to shake quickly many times
1.
2.
composer of the early 1700s
instrument you play by hitting small metal
plates
4. instruments that you can hit, rattle or
shake
5. long piece of music, usually written in four
parts for an orchestra
7. large instrument in the brass section
8. someone who stands in front of an orchestra and directs it
10. when all the musicians practise before a
performance
12. higher area of a theatre or hall on which
musicians sit when they perform
13. small woodwind instrument with a high
tone
English Across The Curriculum
Orchestra - Exercises
7
Find 12
them !
musical instruments in the Grid below
()
and mark
X
K
K
O
D
M
G
E
H
O
G
N
C
C
A
F
F
E
M
L
A
R
C
X
G
J
K
T
V
M
V
I
O
L
I
N
B
X
G
R
E
U
G
G
A
S
M
V
B
X
L
U
Z
K
Y
R
A
C
F
A
O
L
S
M
H
L
I
C
E
L
L
O
P
X
J
P
Y
N
C
Y
I
U
U
K
Q
S
S
E
E
D
X
M
B
L
T
N
J
B
X
T
R
O
M
B
O
N
E
B
O
J
T
U
B
A
H
A
R
P
H
O
H
E
M
O
T
H
A
L
Q
B
D
G
Q
O
E
E
B
A
S
S
O
O
N
S
English Across The Curriculum
Orchestra - Exercises
8
Fill
in the names of the instruments
Bassoon
Cymbals
Drum
!
Flute
French
horn
Kettledrum
String Bass
Trumpet
Violin