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

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

Robertson led the U.S. premiere of “Mifiso la Sodo,” a short work for chamber orchestra that Ligeti wrote as a student in Budapest in 1948.

From New York Times • Oct. 20, 2023

The music for “Only Murders” is equally refined, written for a chamber orchestra, and Khosla has added a new melody for French horn that is tied to Streep’s character.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 9, 2023

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

From Seattle Times • May 4, 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 Millard, Max