South Florida Symphony Orchestra at Junior Achievement’s BizTown
South Florida Symphony Orchestra welcomes 5th grade students to Junior Achievement of South Florida’s BizTown! We hope you enjoyed your time working at the Symphony or, if you were a visitor to our BizTown storefront, that you enjoyed learning about the different sections of an orchestra and hearing some of our favorite classical music works.
On this page, you can recreate the Music Educator job and teach your friends and family about the four different sections of an orchestra: Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, and Percussion.
At South Florida Symphony Orchestra, our mission is to delight, inspire and educate the communities we serve. Thank you for being an important part of our journey.
South Florida Symphony Orchestra at Junior Achievement’s BizTown
South Florida Symphony Orchestra welcomes 5th grade students to Junior Achievement of South Florida’s BizTown! We hope you enjoyed your time working at the Symphony or, if you were a visitor to our BizTown storefront, that you enjoyed learning about the different sections of an orchestra and hearing some of our favorite classical music works.
On this page, you can recreate the Music Educator job and teach your friends and family about the four different sections of an orchestra: Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, and Percussion.
At South Florida Symphony Orchestra, our mission is to delight, inspire and educate the communities we serve. Thank you for being an important part of our journey.
Read More
Be our Guest!
Enjoy 50% off Tickets. Use code JAWORLD
(Limit 4 tickets per student)
All About a Classical Music Orchestra
An orchestra is a large group of musicians who play different instruments. The musicians are led by a conductor who guides the musicians to play altogether in perfect harmony. At South Florida Symphony Orchestra, Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso leads as many as 80 musicians on stage as they play some of the world’s most celebrated classical music works at concert halls throughout South Florida.
All About a Classical Music Orchestra
An orchestra is a large group of musicians who play different instruments. The musicians are led by a conductor who guides the musicians to play altogether in perfect harmony.
At South Florida Symphony Orchestra, Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso leads as many as 80 musicians on stage as they play some of the world’s most celebrated classical music works at concert halls throughout South Florida.
Read More
First Stop: The Conductor
A conductor leads the orchestra musicians so that everyone plays in perfect harmony.
Another name for a conductor is Maestro for a man or Maestra for a woman. (Pronounced MY-strow or MY-struh).
While a conductor never makes a sound, they are always “talking” to the musicians through physical movements. Their body is their instrument.
Baton: With the baton (usually) in the right hand, the Conductor keeps the time. It tells the musicians when to start and how fast or slow to play. This is how the musicians keep the beat.
The Other Hand: The other hand signals a specific section of the orchestra when to enter or exit with their instrument and how soft or powerful to play. It also works to communicate the emotion or intent of the music. This hand has a lot to say!
Push the PLAY ME button to hear Maestra Alfonso introduce the symphony.
First Stop: The Conductor
A conductor leads the orchestra musicians so that everyone plays in perfect harmony.
Another name for a conductor is Maestro for a man or Maestra for a woman. (Pronounced MY-strow or MY-struh).
Baton: With the baton (usually) in the right hand, the Conductor keeps the time. It tells the musicians when to start and how fast or slow to play. This is how the musicians keep the beat.
The Other Hand: The other hand signals a specific section of the orchestra when to enter or exit with their instrument and how soft or powerful to play.
It also works to communicate the emotion or intent of the music. This hand has a lot to say!
Push the PLAY ME button to hear Maestra Alfonso introduce the symphony.
Read More
Strings
The instruments in the string family from smallest to largest are the violin, viola, cello and the double bass (frequently just called bass). This section sometimes also includes a harp.
The smaller instruments play the highest pitch and bigger instruments play the lowest pitch.
This is the largest section of the orchestra. There can be as many as 44 musicians in the string section of an orchestra.
The bass is very tall. A typical bass stands around 6 feet tall. That is taller than the average height of a grown man!
Push the PLAY ME button to hear a string orchestra playing the first movement from composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
Strings
The instruments in the string family from smallest to largest are the violin, viola, cello and the double bass (frequently just called bass). This section sometimes also includes a harp.
The smaller instruments play the highest pitch and bigger instruments play the lowest pitch.
This is the largest section of the orchestra. There can be as many as 44 musicians in the string section of an orchestra.
The bass is very tall. A typical bass stands around 6 feet tall. That is taller than the average height of a grown man.
Push the PLAY ME button in the image above to hear a string orchestra playing the first movement from composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
Read More
Woodwinds
Don’t let the name fool you. Once upon a time, woodwind instruments were all made out of wood, but today they can be made from wood, metal, plastic, or a combination of materials.
They are all played by blowing air through the mouthpiece. This is the “wind”.
The mouthpieces of some woodwinds use a thin piece of wood, called a reed. The reed vibrates when you blow across it.
Instruments in the woodwind family are from highest pitch to lowest pitch: piccolo, flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, and bassoon.
The oboe player has an important job. Right before an orchestra performance the oboe will play an “A” note. Then each instrument will also play an “A” note. This is done to make sure that the entire orchestra is in tune with one another.
Why does the oboe do this? Orchestras are tuned to A because every string instrument has an A string.
Fun Fact: If you ever play in a concert band, it is tuned to B flat. This is because most band instruments are pitched in B flat, so this is their natural tuning note.
Push the PLAY ME button to hear the woodwind section from the end of Igor Stravinsky’s famous, The Firebird Suite.
Woodwinds
Don’t let the name fool you. Once upon a time, woodwind instruments were all made out of wood, but today they can be made from wood, metal, plastic, or a combination of materials.
They are all played by blowing air through the mouthpiece. This is the “wind”.
The mouthpieces of some woodwinds use a thin piece of wood, called a reed. The reed vibrates when you blow across it.
Instruments in the woodwind family are from highest pitch to lowest pitch: piccolo, flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, and bassoon.
The oboe player has an important job. Right before an orchestra performance the oboe will play an “A” note. Then each instrument will also play an “A” note. This is done to make sure that the entire orchestra is in tune with one another.
Why does the oboe do this? Orchestras are tuned to A because every string instrument has an A string.
Fun Fact: If you ever play in a concert band, it is tuned to B flat. This is because most band instruments are pitched in B flat, so this is their natural tuning note.
Push the PLAY ME button to hear the woodwind section from the end of Igor Stravinsky’s famous, The Firebird Suite.
Read More
Brass
If you think Brass got its name because the instruments are all made of brass, you are correct!
Instruments in the Brass family are the trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba.
This is the loudest family of instruments. Like the woodwind family, brass instruments are played by blowing air into a mouthpiece.
Brass is a metal made of copper and zinc.
Brass instruments have been around for thousands of years. The trumpet dates all the way back to 1500 BC.
In 1808, the composer, Ludwig van Beethoven introduced the trombone to the symphony in his famous 5th Symphony. Before that, the trombone was known as a religious instrument.
Push the PLAY ME button to and hear an excerpt of the Brass section playing a part of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
Brass
If you think Brass got its name because the instruments are all made of brass, you are correct!
Instruments in the Brass family are the trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba.
This is the loudest family of instruments. Like the woodwind family, brass instruments are played by blowing air into a mouthpiece.
Brass is a metal made of copper and zinc.
Brass instruments have been around for thousands of years. The trumpet dates all the way back to 1500 BC.
In 1808, the composer, Ludwig van Beethoven introduced the trombone to the symphony in his famous 5th Symphony. Before that, the trombone was known as a religious instrument.
Push the PLAY ME button to and hear an excerpt of the Brass section playing a part of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
Read More
Percussion
The percussion family has the most instruments in an orchestra.
Percussion means to strike or to hit.
The most common percussion instruments in an orchestra are timpani, xylophone, snare drum, bass drum, celesta, and piano. It can also include instruments that you may have played including tambourine, maracas, gongs, and chimes.
A percussionist can play many different percussion instruments in one piece of music.
The piano is classified as a percussion instrument but not everyone agrees. You play a piano by hitting its 88 black and white keys with your fingers. However, the keys lift little hammers inside the piano that strike the strings.
One piece of famous music features the celesta, which is similar but smaller than a piano.
Do you recognize the music that I am about to play? Push the PLAY ME button to hear the celesta in Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.
Percussion
The percussion family has the most instruments in an orchestra.
Percussion means to strike or to hit.
The most common percussion instruments in an orchestra are
timpani, xylophone, snare drum, bass drum, celesta, and piano. It can also include instruments that you may have played including tambourine, maracas, gongs, and chimes.
A percussionist can play many different percussion instruments in one piece of music.
The piano is classified as a percussion instrument but not everyone agrees. You play a piano by hitting its 88 black and white keys with your fingers. However, the keys lift little hammers inside the piano that strike the strings.
One piece of famous music features the celesta, which is similar but smaller than a piano.
Do you recognize the music that I am about to play? Push the PLAY ME button to hear the celesta in Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.
Read More
Final Stop: The concert
Maestra Sebrina Alfonso studied the composer’s music and rehearsed the musicians. It is time for the concert to begin!
Push the PLAY ME button under the TV to watch and listen to the entire orchestra.
Do you have a favorite section of the orchestra?
What instrument would you like to learn?
We hope the music touches your heart and inspires joy and creativity in whatever you do, too!
Final Stop: The concert
Maestra Sebrina Alfonso studied the composer’s music and rehearsed the musicians. It is time for the concert to begin!
Push the PLAY ME button under the TV to watch and listen to the entire orchestra.
Do you have a favorite section of the orchestra?
What instrument would you like to learn?
We hope the music touches your heart and inspires joy and creativity in whatever you do, too!
Read More
Be our Guest!
Enjoy 50% off Tickets. Use code JAWORLD
(Limit 4 tickets per student)