Orchestration

Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble) or of adapting music composed for another medium for an orchestra. For example, a work for solo piano could be adapted and orchestrated so that an orchestra could perform the piece. Only gradually over the course of music history did orchestration come to be regarded as a compositional art in itself. In classical music, most composers write the melody, chord progression and musical form for a piece and, then, if they want the piece to be played by an orchestra, they orchestrate the piece themselves. In musical theatre, however, the composer typically writes the melodies and then hires a professional arranger or orchestrator to devise the parts for the pit orchestra to play.