Imagine yourself in a big hall where a large orchestra is preparing to play. The musicians are tuning up their instruments. It sounds noisy. Why? The instruments are not in harmony yet.
Soon, the performance begins. Each family of instruments has a special job. Some instruments – the strings, brass, or woodwinds – play the melody. Others, such as drums, make the beat or the rhythm. Different instruments add different tones. The woodwinds sound soft and light, while the brass instruments provide a strong background. All the instruments play in harmony. In other words, they sound good together.
During the concert, the musicians watch the conductor’s signals. The conductor holds a small stick called a baton in the right hand. The baton tells the musicians when to play slow and when to play fast.
With the left hand, the conductor points to different parts of the orchestra. This signals them that it is time for them to play. The left hand also tells the musicians whether to play soft or loud.
Some conductors even use facial expressions. They make themselves look happy, or sad, or angry. These facial expressions show the musicians how their music should make listeners feel.
Picture Credit : Google