Music Performance Terminology

noun a musical instrument of the brass family, resembling a tuba but having a wider bore and mellower tone

• The althorn is a brass instrument similar to a French horn.
• I borrowed my friend's althorn to practice for the concert.
• I'm thinking of joining the school band just so I can play the althorn.
• Her voice was as smooth and mellow as an althorn playing in the distance.

verb to wait or pause

preposition used to indicate that one is waiting or stopping for a short period of time

• Please hold on for a moment while I transfer your call to the appropriate department.
• Hey, hold on a sec, I just need to grab my keys before we leave.
• Hold on, dude, I'm almost done setting up the party decorations.
• Sometimes in life, we just need to hold on and trust that things will get better.

noun a casual lack of concern; indifference

• Her insouciance in the face of adversity was both admirable and perplexing.
• She faced the situation with insouciance, as if she didn't have a care in the world.
• He strutted around with an insouciance that made him seem untouchable.
• The dancer moved with an insouciance that captivated the audience.

noun a person's voice that is full, round, and imposing

adjective full, round, and imposing in sound

• The orotund voice of the speaker filled the auditorium with rich, resonant tones.
• His orotund way of speaking always makes me laugh.
• I can't stand his orotund style of talking, it's so annoying.
• The orotund language used in the poem painted a vivid picture in my mind.

adjective excited or mentally prepared for something

adverb in an excited or mentally prepared manner

• The team was psyched up and ready to give their best performance at the competition.
• I'm so psyched up for the concert tonight, it's going to be amazing!
• I'm totally psyched up to try out the new skate park this weekend.
• After reading the inspiring book, she was psyched up to make positive changes in her life.

noun a person who recites or reads aloud in public or for an audience

• The reciter delivered a flawless performance of the epic poem.
• The reciter at the poetry slam was really impressive.
• That reciter totally nailed the rap lyrics on stage.
• As a reciter of ancient tales, she brought history to life through her storytelling.

noun a group of players that are not in the starting lineup but are available as substitutes

adjective of lower rank or importance compared to the first string

• The second string players were called upon to step up when the starters got injured.
• The second string guys are always ready to go in and give it their all.
• Don't worry about being on the second string, you'll get your chance to shine.
• She felt like she was always playing second string in her own life, never getting the recognition she deserved.

verb to walk or behave in a very confident and typically arrogant or aggressive way

adjective behaving in a very confident and typically arrogant or aggressive way

• The CEO entered the boardroom with a swaggering confidence that impressed the investors.
• He strutted into the party with a swaggering attitude, thinking he owned the place.
• The rapper showed up at the club, all swaggering and flashy, like he was the hottest thing around.
• Her words were filled with a swaggering bravado, but deep down she was just trying to hide her insecurities.

noun a period of exercise or practice to prepare for a more intense activity

verb to prepare for a physical activity by exercising or practicing

• It is important to warm up before engaging in any physical activity to prevent injuries.
• Let's make sure to warm up before we start playing basketball.
• I always feel better after I warm up before going for a run.
• I like to warm up my brain by doing some crossword puzzles before starting work.

verb to increase the intensity or volume of something, to make something more exciting or powerful

• The company decided to amp up their marketing efforts in order to reach a wider audience.
• I need to amp up my workout routine if I want to see results.
• Let's amp up the party by inviting more people over.
• She knew she had to amp up her confidence in order to ace the job interview.