chamber orchestra

American  

noun

1. a small orchestra, commonly of about 25 players.

---

chamber orchestra British  

noun

1. a small orchestra consisting of about 25 players, used for the authentic performance of baroque and early classical music as well as modern music written specifically for a small orchestra

---

Etymology

Origin of chamber orchestra

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chamber orchestra

He frequently uses the instrumentalists in the chamber orchestra like theatrical characters.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026

The music was played by 50 upright pianos, each of them with ever-so-slightly different tuning, amid a scattered chamber orchestra, the Klangforum Wien, of 25 other instruments.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2025

Stutzmann founded the chamber orchestra Orfeo 55 in 2009 and led it during its decade-long existence.

From Seattle Times ● May 4, 2023

This could be a chamber orchestra, a string quartet, a solo piano, a brass band.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 28, 2023

This year, Pinky's greatest honor was his appointment as music director of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the only full-time chamber orchestra in America.

From 100 New Yorkers of the 1970s by Max Millard