Orchestra seating chart
A free orchestra seating chart to print: where the strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion sit, plus a blank copy for kids to label.
This chart shows one common way an orchestra sits, seen from the audience. The conductor stands at the front with their back to you. Orchestras change the plan from piece to piece, so use the chart as a guide and check it against what you see.
How to use it
Print both pages. Look at the first page together and find the four families. Then cover it and have your child fill in the blank chart from the word list. Bring the chart to a concert, or hold it up to a concert video, and tick each group when you spot it.
Only the sheet below prints. It fits letter and A4 paper. For a clean page, turn off headers and footers in the print window.
Who sits where in the orchestra
One common seating plan, seen from the audience.
The audience sits here
Strings Woodwinds Brass Percussion
In this plan, higher instruments tend to sit on the left and lower ones on the right. The quieter strings sit near the front. The louder brass and percussion sit at the back.
Spot them at a concert
- The leader of the first violins
- The harp
- The timpani
- The tuba
- The smallest flute, called the piccolo
- A player who stands up to play
Orchestra seating chartkidsclassicalmusic.com
Label the orchestra
Write the name of each group in its space. Use the word list at the bottom.
The audience sits here
Strings Woodwinds Brass Percussion
Word list: Bassoons, Cellos, Clarinets, Double basses, First violins, Flutes, Harp, Horns, Oboes, Percussion, Second violins, Timpani, Trombones and tuba, Trumpets, Violas.
Orchestra seating chartkidsclassicalmusic.com
Goes well with
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