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Glite Dictionary
concertmaster

concertmaster

4 7.2
A lead violinist in an orchestra who directs the string players and helps the conductor
  • noun
  • /ˈkɒnˌsɜrtˌmæs.tər/
  • US
translation icon : primer violín
  • Concertmaster Murray Adler played the violin solo with such fine precision.
  • assistant concertmaster
  • concertmaster of the orchestra
  • concertmaster, the violinist

Examples

  • Mika Seifert works as the first concertmaster for the Northeast German Symphony Orchestra.

  • The concertmaster turned to her, violin held lightly on his knee.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • I became its concertmaster and principal soloist.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • The concertmaster usually tunes to an electronic device, and the rest of the ensemble or orchestra tunes to that instrument.

    Blog text (1)

  • The concertmaster stood and drew out one long, single note from his violin, and Herbert Brindle and every other musician onstage began to play.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • The story of one exceptionally skilled fourteen-year-old violinist, who auditioned for a well-known youth orchestra and soon became concertmaster, comes to mind.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Both the conductor (David Stewart Wiley) and the concertmaster (Akemi Takayama) are world-class.

    Blog text (10)

  • The concertmaster leads the string section during rehearsals and performances.

  • Violinist Jacob Klock, the concertmaster for the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, is known for his exceptional skills.

How Senior

concertmaster
  • US
4 7.2
principal
481 3.6
chair
  • Jargon
17 7.0
substitute
211 3.2

Surface Forms

concertmaster singular
concertmasters plural

Morphology

concertmaster = concert + master (semi-transparent) = concert + master

Formed from 'concert' + 'master' so the idea of a leader in a concert is clear, but the specific technical role 'lead violinist' in an orchestra is a specialized meaning not directly inferable by all learners.

Etymology

Concertmaster is made from concert ('a musical performance') and master ('chief' or 'leader'), so it literally means the main leader at a concert. That's why a concertmaster is the lead violinist who guides the string players and helps the conductor.