orchestration

[awr-kuh-strey-shuhn]

noun

1. the composition or arrangement of music for performance by a band or orchestra, or the music so composed or arranged.

   Holst's iconic musical portrayal of the planets and their astrological significance delights audiences with its rich orchestration and memorable melodies.

2. the instruments used in such a composition or arrangement; instrumentation.

   Handel's original orchestration was for strings and continuo with occasional trumpets and drums.

3. the plans or planning necessary to arrange something or cause something to happen.

   The book chronicles the Empress Dowager’s selection as a concubine and her orchestration of the coup that made her the de facto ruler of China.

4. Computers.,  an automated series of processes to configure, coordinate, or manage computer systems, data, or software.

   A successful cloud strategy requires orchestration of on-demand provisioning processes and coordination of cloud resources.

Other Word Forms

• reorchestration noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of orchestration¹

First recorded in 1830–40; orchestrat(e) ( def. ) + -ion ( def. )

Example Sentences

On many of these songs, Ms. Case places her poetic narratives in a chamber-pop setting, with tasteful orchestrations augmenting guitar, piano, bass and drums.

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The commission said the FA's legal counsel subsequently disagreed with Astley's assessment and was "thus abandoning, without further explanation, its case on orchestration".

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Martin invested himself and his time wholly in the endeavor from the jump, including collaborating on the orchestrations.

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“Phantom Island” is a really distinct record in your catalog for using so much orchestration.

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He tended to leave orchestration to others, more concerned with highlighting the fabulous improvising soloists in his band.

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Related Words

• composition