Vocabulary

Articulation-- The distinct “attack” and “release” of individual notes

Balance-- The dynamic mix between sections of the ensemble

Blend-- The unity of sound across the ensemble; the appropriate mix of individual parts into one sound

Dynamics-- That aspect of music related to degrees of loudness

Ensemble-- A group of musicians performing together

Form-- The structure and arrangement of all the musical elements in a composition

Harmony-- The sound that results from a vertical combination of pitches

Interval-- The vertical distance between two notes; measured by the number of lines and spaces between them

Intonation-- The accurate and precise production of pitches; the tuning of intervals

Melody-- The “tune”; or a principal, linear arrangement of notes

Phrasing-- The artistic treatment and arrangement of musical “sentences”

Repertoire-- The collection of music that an ensemble knows or that is included in a given program

Rhythm-- The organization of note and rest durations in metered time; the measuring of accents

Sight-reading--“Reading” or performing a piece of music, not before seen, without assistance or prior study