Instruments of the Orchestra

Lyrics:

Conductor: Have you seen a trumpet play? Or a viola start to sway? When some clarinets play sweet duets, All your worries go away.

These are the instruments of the orchestra,

Their sounds all blend together when they play for ya.

They are the strings, winds, brass, and percussion too.

As I lead with my baton, they’ll play together for you.

STRINGS

Violin: We are the string family,

Bass: We are the largest section and have pegs to help us stay in key

Cello: Most of us have four strings

Viola: And when you pluck, strike, or bow them, they vibrate and sing!

Harp: Our hollow wooden bodies amplify the sound

Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass (and Harp)

All strings: are the main strings around

WOODWINDS

Bassoon: We are the woodwinds, we make sound using your breath,

Clarinet: Our bodies are long and we have keys that you can press,

Flute: Blow some air across a hole to make a high flute melody,

Oboe and Bassoon: Oboe and bassoon both have a double reeds,

Oboe: But the orchestra tunes themselves to me.

Clarinet: The clarinet has just one reed to blow,

All woodwinds: we blend well together and you can find us sitting in the second row.

BRASS All brass: We’re the brass section and no other can compare, If you're looking for a march, a big band, or a grand fanfare,

F horn: You blow and buzz your lips through a mouthpiece shaped just like a cup,

Tube: We have six to eighteen feet of tubes that are coiled up.

Trumpet, Horn, And Tuba Trpt, Horn,

Tuba: play their valves with pride,

Trombone: But the trombone makes its notes with a slide!

PERCUSSION

Marimba: There is no discussion, the percussion is the loudest,

Vibraphone: We sit in the back, but you hear us where the

ALL: crowd is.

Glockenspiel: We have lots of instruments in our crew,

Timpanum: So we’ll split into two categories for you:
We are All: Pitched percussion,

Chimes: We make different tones,

Timpani, Marimba, and Xylophones, Vibraphone, Glockenspiel, Chimes, and Celeste,

All: Good luck counting all of the bars that we rest. Timpani: …115… 116… (Marimba yawning)

Snare: We’re unpitched percussion, some call auxiliary.

Drums: We don’t play melodies, but we’re still extraordinary.

Gong, Shaker Tambourine! Cymbals, and Drums,

Snare: The snare is the one that goes ru-te-tum –tum. All: ru-te-tum –tum

Conductor: There are other instruments just as fun: (Voices: AAH!) Voice, guitar, and accordion, Piano and organ, the list goes on and on! (All: On!)

Everybody! We are the instruments of the orchestra,

Our sounds all blend together when we play for ya.

We are the strings, winds, brass, and percussion too.

Conductor: As I lead with my baton, they’ll play together for you.

Instruments: We follow our conductor as we play for you!