Definition

1. Noun:
   • A musical ensemble: A "concert band" is a group of musicians who perform together, typically playing a repertoire of classical, contemporary, or popular music arranged for wind and percussion instruments.
   • Instrumentation: Specifically, it is an ensemble consisting primarily of brass instruments, woodwind instruments, and percussion instruments. It does not typically include string instruments like violins or cellos as a core part of its makeup.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The university's concert band performed a stunning piece at the spring festival.
  • She has been a flutist in the local concert band for over ten years.
  • The concert band's repertoire ranges from classical marches to modern film scores.

Advanced Usage

• "To play in a concert band": To be a performing member of such an ensemble.

  • He learned to play the clarinet so he could play in the school concert band.

• "Concert band music": Music specifically composed or arranged for this type of ensemble.

  • The composer is known for his challenging concert band music.

Variants and Related Words

• Wind band (n): A very similar type of ensemble; often used interchangeably with "concert band," though some distinctions in repertoire or tradition may exist.

  • The wind band toured several countries last summer.

• Symphonic band (n): Another term for a large concert band, often implying a more advanced level of performance and a classical symphonic repertoire.

  • The piece was premiered by a renowned symphonic band.

• Marching band (n): A related ensemble that performs while marching, often outdoors. It shares similar instrumentation but has a different function and repertoire.

  • The marching band and the concert band share many of the same musicians.

Synonyms

• Wind ensemble: A group of wind and percussion players; sometimes implies a smaller, more chamber-like group than a full concert band.
• Military band: A type of concert/wind band with origins in military tradition.

Related Phrases

• Concert band director: The conductor and musical leader of a concert band.

  • Under the new concert band director, the group's sound improved dramatically.

• Concert band arrangement: A version of a musical piece adapted for the instruments of a concert band.

  • They performed a concert band arrangement of a popular video game theme.

Noun

1. a group of musicians playing brass and woodwind and percussion instruments