Collection Classical Music
Meet great composers, explore the vast musical world of the orchestra, study the science behind the instruments, and discover how classical music is anything but boring.
Instrument Spotter’s Guide
Meet the families of the orchestra
The String Family
The members of the String Family are made of wood and have (you guessed it) strings! They share a similar shape, despite their different sizes. They make sound when a bow or finger is used to make their strings vibrate.
Listen to the Violin
Listen to the Viola
Listen to the Cello
Listen to the Double Bass
Carousel Controls
The Woodwind Family
Woodwinds can be made from different materials, like wood or metal, but they all make their sound when the player blows air across a hole or reed (a thin strip of woody grass).
Listen to the Flute
Listen to the Oboe
Listen to the Clarinet
Listen to the Bassoon
Carousel Controls
The Brass Family
Brass instruments are made of metal and use air to make sound. Players “buzz” their lips on the instrument’s mouthpiece to make sounds that can be very loud!
Listen to the Trumpet
Listen to the French Horn
Listen to the Trombone
Listen to the Tuba
Carousel Controls
The Percussion Family
Members of the Percussion Family make sound by being hit, shaken, rubbed, or scraped...any action that makes all or parts of the instrument vibrate.
Listen to the Snare Drum
Listen to the Cymbals
Listen to the Xylophone
Listen to the Timpani
Carousel Controls
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Editor
Tiffany A. Bryant
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Producer
Kenny Neal
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Updated
February 22, 2022
Related Resources
Media Kids’ Classical Countdown
Looking to bolster your knowledge of classical music or simply trying to broaden your knowledge of music in general? Whatever your reason, here’s a different kind of musical hit list—our choices for the top 10 works in Western classical music for kids and their parents.
Media Soundtrack to the Seasons
Feel like giving each season a personal playlist? This handy guide to keeping the classics with you all year round can help.
Media A World of Music
The invention of the orchestra hundreds of years ago meant bigger musical possibilities, and composers all across Europe were inspired to try their hand at pushing classical music to new limits.
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