In the Orchestra Pit

The flute is considered the oldest musical instrument. In 1995, a 60,000-year-old Neanderthal flute made from the thigh bone of a young cave bear was discovered in Slovenia. Although its authenticity is now in doubt, it is one of several flutes in existence that date back at least 20 millennia.

According to Berklee College of Music, the concertmaster (or concertmistress) is a vital musical leader with widely ranging responsibilities, from tuning the orchestra to working closely with the conductor.

Officially, there is no such thing as a triangle player. The triangle is simply one of the more than thirty-five different instruments that must be mastered by a percussionist.

A fanfare is a short musical flourish, typically played by trumpets and other brass instruments. It can also be a brief, improvised introduction to an instrumental performance.

Perhaps the most famous of these works is Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" (1942), written in response to the U.S. entry into World War II.

Music written and performed for stage plays, such as songs, dances, and background music, as well as the music played before and between acts, is known as "incidental" music.