Definition

1. Verb:
   • To perform or play a piece of written music at first sight, without prior practice or rehearsal of that specific score.
   • To read and comprehend written text aloud or silently with immediate fluency, often used in the context of music but can apply to other materials.

Usage

• The primary use is in musical contexts. It describes the skill of a musician who can look at a musical score and perform it correctly without having practiced it beforehand.
• It can also be used more broadly for the immediate reading of any text, though this is less common.

Examples

• Verb:
  • The audition required candidates to sight-read a challenging orchestral part.
  • A good accompanist must be able to sight-read confidently.
  • She can sight-read complex violin sonatas effortlessly.

Advanced Usage

• "to sight-read something": The verb is often used transitively, directly followed by the material being read (e.g., a score, a part).
  • The conductor asked the new cellist to sight-read the passage.
• The skill is often described as an ability or a requirement.
  • Sight-reading is an essential skill for session musicians.

Variants and Related Words

• Sight-reading (noun): The act or skill of performing music at first sight.
  • Her sight-reading ability impressed the entire orchestra.
• Sight-reader (noun): A person who can sight-read.
  • He is known as the best sight-reader in the choir.

Synonyms

• Read at sight: To read something immediately upon seeing it.
• Perform at sight: Specifically for musical performance.

Phrasal Verbs

(This word does not commonly form phrasal verbs.)

Related Idioms

(There are no common idioms specifically for 'sight-read'.)

Verb

1. perform music from a score without having seen the score before
   • He is a brilliant pianist but he cannot sightread