Orchestra, symphony, and philharmonic: what is the difference?
Updated 2026-11-14
An orchestra is a large group of musicians who play together. A symphony is a piece of music written for an orchestra. A symphony orchestra and a philharmonic orchestra are the same kind of group with different names. The London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra have the same instruments and play the same music.
The short answer
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Orchestra | A large group of players on string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments |
| Symphony | A long piece of music for orchestra, most often in four parts |
| Symphony orchestra | A full-size orchestra, big enough to play symphonies |
| Philharmonic | A name for an orchestra. The word means “music-loving.” |
| Chamber orchestra | A small orchestra |
Orchestra
An orchestra has four families of instruments: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. A conductor stands in front and leads.
The word is old. In the theaters of ancient Greece, the orchestra was the round floor where the chorus sang and danced. Later it came to mean the place in front of a stage where the players sat, and then the players themselves.
Read instruments of the orchestra for kids.
Symphony
“Symphony” has two uses.
A piece of music. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is a piece. It lasts about half an hour and has four parts, called movements.
A short name for a symphony orchestra. People say “we are going to the symphony” when they mean a concert by a symphony orchestra. Many orchestras leave out the last word, as in the Chicago Symphony.
Read symphony, concerto, and sonata explained for kids.
Philharmonic
“Philharmonic” comes from two Greek words that mean “loving” and “harmony.” A philharmonic society was a club of people who loved music and put on concerts. Many such clubs began in the 1800s. The orchestras they founded kept the name.
The New York Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic both began in 1842.
There is no difference in size, instruments, or music between a philharmonic and a symphony orchestra.
Why some cities have both
A large city may have two or more orchestras. They need different names so that people can tell them apart.
- London has the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
- Vienna has the Vienna Symphony and the Vienna Philharmonic.
They are separate groups, with their own players, conductors, and concert seasons.
How big is each kind of group?
| Group | Players | What it plays |
|---|---|---|
| String quartet | 4 | Music for two violins, viola, and cello |
| Chamber orchestra | About 15 to 45 | Music by Bach, Haydn, and Mozart, and newer pieces for small forces |
| Symphony or philharmonic orchestra | About 70 to 100 | Symphonies, concertos, and film music |
| Pops orchestra | About 70 to 100 | Film music, show tunes, and light classics |
A pops orchestra is a symphony orchestra that plays lighter music. The Boston Pops is the best known.
What about a band?
A concert band has woodwinds, brass, and percussion, and no violins, violas, or cellos. An orchestra has a large string section. Read band vs orchestra.
Other words you may see
Sinfonia and sinfonietta are names for smaller orchestras.
Strings or string orchestra means an orchestra with string instruments only.
Youth orchestra means an orchestra of children or teenagers.
Festival orchestra means a group that comes together for a few weeks each year.
Things to do together
Name your city’s orchestra. Look up the nearest professional orchestra. Is it a symphony, a philharmonic, or something else?
Spot the name. Find three recordings of the same piece. Read the name of the orchestra on each one.
Seat the players. Open the orchestra seating map and find where each family sits.
Count the players. Watch a concert video. Pause on a wide shot and count how many people are on stage.
Print and play
Print the orchestra seating chart. Read who sits where in an orchestra and what does a conductor do. To get ready for a concert, read first orchestra concert with kids.
For all four families, see instruments of the orchestra for kids.
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This article is part of Instruments of the orchestra for kids: the four families and how they sound.
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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.