What is a concerto?
Q: What is a concerto?
A: A concerto is a piece of music made for a solo instrument and an orchestra.
Q: What do orchestras play in concerts?
A: Orchestras might play a symphony (a piece for orchestra) and they might play a concerto (with a soloist).
Q: What are some examples of different kinds of concertos?
A: If the solo instrument is a violin the piece is called a “violin concerto”, if it is a piano it is called a “piano concerto”, etc.
Q: Who decides how fast or slow to play in a concerto?
A: It is the soloist who decides how fast or slow to play.
Q: What should the conductor do in a concerto performance?
A: The conductor should listen to the way the soloist wants to play and make the orchestra accompany sensitively.
Q: What does the word "concerto" mean?
A: The word “concerto” is an Italian word (the second “c” is pronounced like an English “ch”). It means “agreeing” or “playing together”.
Q: When did the concerto become popular and what was a type of concerto with several soloists called?
A: The concerto became popular during the 17th century in Italy. Some concertos had several soloists instead of just one. This kind of concerto was called a concerto grosso.
