Strings

An orchestra is a large group of musicians who play together. At the front stands the conductor. The conductor leads the orchestra and keeps everyone in time. A long piece of music written for a whole orchestra is called a symphony.

Nearest the conductor sit the strings. A violin, a viola, a cello and a double bass all have strings stretched over a wooden body, and all four are played with a bow drawn across them. The violin is the smallest and highest. The double bass is the largest instrument in the string family, and a player has to stand up to reach the top of it.