An orchestra has string instruments, and a band does not. That is the main difference. An orchestra is built around a large group of violins, violas, cellos, and double basses, with woodwinds, brass, and percussion behind them. A concert band is made of woodwinds, brass, and percussion alone. Both play a wide range of music, and both teach a child to play as part of a team.
Side by side
| Orchestra | Concert band | |
|---|---|---|
| Strings | Violins, violas, cellos, and double basses | None, or a single double bass |
| Woodwinds | Two or three each of flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon | Many flutes and clarinets, plus oboes, bassoons, and saxophones |
| Brass | Horns, trumpets, trombones, and a tuba | The same, in larger numbers, plus euphoniums |
| Percussion | Yes | Yes |
| Who carries the tune | Most often the violins | Most often the clarinets and flutes |
| Music it is known for | Symphonies, concertos, ballet, and opera | Marches, music written for band, and film and show tunes |
Instruments found in one and not the other
Only in the orchestra: violins, violas, and cellos. The harp is rare in a band.
Found more in the band: saxophones and euphoniums. An orchestra uses a saxophone only now and then.
In both: flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, trombones, tubas, and percussion.
How they sound
An orchestra’s sound rests on the strings. Strings can play for a long time without stopping for breath, and thirty violins together make a smooth, blended tone.
A band’s sound rests on the winds. It is bolder and brighter, with more punch. Wind players have to breathe, so the phrases are shaped by breath.
Kinds of bands
Concert band. Plays sitting down, indoors, with a conductor. It is also called a wind band or a wind ensemble.
Marching band. Plays while moving, outdoors, at parades and games. The tubas are swapped for sousaphones, and the percussion is carried.
Jazz band. A smaller group of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, piano, bass, guitar, and drums.
Brass band. Brass and percussion only.
Kinds of orchestras
Symphony orchestra. The full group, with all four families.
String orchestra. Strings only. Many school orchestras begin this way.
Chamber orchestra. A small orchestra, about the size used in Mozart’s time.
What each one plays
Orchestras play music from the last 400 years: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and film scores.
Bands play marches, such as those by John Philip Sousa. They play pieces written for band by composers such as Gustav Holst, who wrote two well-loved suites for band. They also play versions of orchestra pieces, film music, and show tunes.
Choosing at school
Many schools ask children to choose band or orchestra around the upper elementary grades. The choice of group follows the choice of instrument.
A child who wants a violin, viola, or cello joins the orchestra.
A child who wants a saxophone joins the band.
A child who wants a flute, clarinet, trumpet, or trombone will most often start in the band. Strong players may be invited into a full orchestra later.
A child who wants the double bass can do either in many schools.
Let your child hear both groups, and try the instruments if the school offers a trial day. A child’s liking for the sound of one instrument is a good guide. See how to choose a first instrument.
Can a child do both?
Yes. A trumpet or clarinet player in a band can join a youth orchestra as well. A violinist can pick up a band instrument later. The reading and the listening skills carry over.
Things to do together
Spot the strings. Play a band piece and an orchestra piece. Ask which one has violins.
March. Play “The Stars and Stripes Forever” by Sousa and march around the room.
Go and listen. Many school and community bands and orchestras give free concerts. Take your child to one of each.
Sort the cards. Write instrument names on slips of paper. Sort them into “orchestra,” “band,” and “both.”
Print and play
Print the orchestra seating chart to see where each group sits in an orchestra. For the four families, see instruments of the orchestra for kids. For help with lessons, read the parent’s guide to music lessons.
More from this guide
This article is part of Instruments of the orchestra for kids: the four families and how they sound.
Brass instruments for kids: what they are and how each one sounds
The brass family explained for parents and kids: how the trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba make sound, how to tell them apart, and pieces to hear.
Keyboard instruments for kids: piano, organ, harpsichord, and more
Keyboard instruments explained for kids and parents: how the piano, the organ, the harpsichord, and the celesta each make sound, and a piece to hear for each.
Orchestra seating chart for kids: who sits where and why
Where each instrument sits in an orchestra and why: strings at the front, woodwinds in the middle, brass and percussion at the back, with a chart to print.
Percussion instruments for kids: what they are and how each one sounds
The percussion family explained for parents and kids: drums, cymbals, xylophone, timpani, and more, how each one makes sound, and pieces to hear.
String instruments for kids: violin, viola, cello, double bass, and harp
The string family explained for parents and kids: how a string makes sound, how to tell the violin, viola, cello, double bass, and harp apart, and what to hear.
The bassoon for kids: how it works and what to hear
The bassoon explained for kids and parents: the long folded tube, the double reed, its job in the orchestra, pieces to hear, and when a child can start.
Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.