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Glite Dictionary
recitalist

recitalist

1 8.6
A musician who gives solo concerts, often playing piano
  • noun
  • /rɪˈsaɪtəlɪst/
translation icon : recitalista
  • The renowned recitalist captivated the audience with her performance of classical pieces.

Examples

  • He performed as a recitalist throughout North America under the sponsorship of the Pro Musicis Foundation, making his New York recital debut in 1981.

    Blog text (27)

  • I've made my living as a recitalist, quartet member, and now orchestral player, and can fully aver that orchestral musicians are as musically savvy as any other type of musician.

    Blog text (17)

  • He has built a successful career as a recitalist, performing solo concerts across Europe.

  • As a talented recitalist, she often showcases contemporary works in her concerts.

Synonyms

musician
vsrecitalist
644 1.8

A person who plays or writes music for others

is narrower, focusing on performing recitals often alone
soloist
vsrecitalist
23 4.7

A performer who plays or sings alone for part of a piece

is more specific, performing in formal recitals rather than varied featured roles

How Skilled

virtuoso
12 8.0
recitalist
1 8.6
soloist
23 4.7
amateur
122 2.8
novice
46 3.4

Surface Forms

recitalist singular
recitalists plural

Morphology

recitalist = recital (transparent) = recital + ist

The -ist suffix productively forms an agent noun from 'recital', so the meaning 'person who performs recitals' is directly predictable.

Etymology

Recitalist comes from the old Latin verb recitare, which meant 'to read aloud' and is the same root as the English word recite. The ending -ist means 'a person who does something', as in pianist, so a recitalist is a musician who performs a 'recital', a solo show for an audience.