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Music vocabulary · Genres and Styles

Concerto

Meaning in music, with examples

nounCommon term

In music, concerto means: A composition, usually in several movements, that features one or more solo instruments in dialogue and contrast with an orchestra.

In Turkish: konçerto

How it is used

Used in concert programmes and classical performance. The featured instrument often appears in the title, as in violin concerto or piano concerto.

Example sentences

  1. The orchestra reduced its volume so the flute concerto soloist could be heard clearly.

    The ensemble adjusts its balance around the featured flute player.

  2. She prepared the first movement of a piano concerto for the competition.

    The performer selects one movement from a larger work written for piano and orchestra.

Common collocations

  • piano concerto
  • violin concerto
  • concerto soloist
  • soloA section of music played or sung by one performer, often featured above the rest of the band, or a whole piece written for a single performer.
  • orchestraA large group of musicians playing string, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments together, usually led by a conductor.
  • classical musicThe tradition of Western art music, including symphonies, concertos, operas and chamber music, usually written down in detailed scores and performed by trained musicians.

More terms: Genres and Styles

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