concertmaster

American

[kon-sert-mas-ter, -mah-ster] / ˈkɒn sərtˌmæs tər, -ˌmɑ stər /

noun

the leader of the first violins in a symphony orchestra, who is usually also the assistant to the conductor.

concertmaster British

/ ˈkɒnsətˌmɑːstə /

noun

a US and Canadian word for leader

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of concertmaster

1875–80; translation of German Konzertmeister. See concert (noun), master

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

concertmaster

A Chicago-based violinist, Mulcahy serves as the concertmaster of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, and has to regularly make the roughly 700-mile flight between Illinois and Kansas as a result.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 8, 2025

Mehta led the AYS until 1998, when he handed the reins to Alexander Treger, concertmaster of the L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2024

Van Zweden, who got his start as concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam in 1979, when he was 19, said he was eager to once again be part of a European ensemble.

From New York Times ● Feb. 27, 2024

When a violin/mandolin duel with associate concertmaster Bing Wang ensued, the violinist dazzled.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2023

At nineteen—not much older than me—he's already the concertmaster of the Hannover Orchestra.

From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023