concertmaster

IPA/ˈkɒnsətmɑːstə(r)/
KK[kˈɑnsɚtmˌæstɚ]IPA/ˈkɑːnsərtmæstər/

concertmaster — noun

  • concertmastersingular
  • concertmastersplural

1. the first-chair violinist of an orchestra, who tunes the instruments before each

1.nounC1
Definition

the first-chair violinist of an orchestra, who tunes the instruments before each performance and supports the conductor by leading the string section.

Example

Omar served as concertmaster of the city symphony for nearly twelve years.

title role: serve as concertmaster of [orchestra]

The concertmaster walked onto the stage, bowed to the audience, and tuned the orchestra.

typical ritual: concertmaster tunes the orchestra before a concert

Common collocations
  • serve as concertmaster
  • promoted to concertmaster
  • the orchestra's concertmaster
Synonyms
  • first violinist

    describes the seat; 'concertmaster' adds the leadership role

  • leader

    British equivalent — 'the leader of the orchestra'

Grammar Patterns

[orchestra]'s concertmaster

Usage Note

Subject is normally a named violinist; the role is treated as a title, so 'the concertmaster' is preferred over a bare noun. In British English the equivalent term is 'leader' (of an orchestra).

Common Mistakes

She is a concert master of the orchestra.
She is the concertmaster of the orchestra.
one word, and the role takes the definite article.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

In American orchestras the top violin chair is called the 'concertmaster' — a formal title that names both the seat and the leadership duties (tuning the orchestra, fielding bowings, deputising for the conductor). 'First violinist' simply locates a player in the first-violin section and carries no authority on its own; many players are first violinists but only one is concertmaster. British orchestras use 'leader' for the same role — 'the leader of the London Symphony Orchestra' is exactly the American concertmaster. 'Principal' is the broader term for the top player of any section (principal cellist, principal flautist); the concertmaster is therefore the 'principal first violin', but is almost never referred to that way in concert programmes.

concertmaster ↗first violinistleader ↗principal ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • orchestra concertmaster
  • symphony concertmaster

Phrases

  • serve as concertmaster
  • promoted to concertmaster
  • the orchestra's concertmaster

Prepositions

  • concertmaster of [orchestra]

Etymology

GermanEnglish

A direct loan-translation of the German 'Konzertmeister', literally 'concert master'. The German term entered English in the late nineteenth century as American orchestras hired large numbers of European, especially German and Austrian, musicians; the calque kept the German word order, which is why English retains 'concertmaster' rather than the more native-sounding 'master of the concert'.