What is It?

A string orchestra is a musical ensemble composed exclusively of string instruments. It typically includes instruments from the violin family: violins, violas, cellos, and double basses. These instruments form the backbone of the ensemble, each contributing to the overall texture and harmony of the music. The violins often carry the melody, while the violas and cellos provide harmony and depth. The double basses add richness and support to the lower end of the sound spectrum. String orchestras perform a wide range of repertoire, including works specifically composed for strings.

Popular songs composed for string orchestras:

Song Name	Composer	Year Composed	Facts
Palladio	Karl Jenkins	1996	This song is based of of Roman Architecture in the 1500s!
Für Elise	Beethoven	Unknown	This song was not descovered untill 40 years after his death!
The Four Seasons	Vivaldi	1723	This song is one of the hardest songs to play for the violin!
Les Toreadors	Bizet	1875	This song is used in the hit 2014 videogame FNAF!
Adaigo for Strings Op. 11	Samuel Barber	1936	Adagio for Strings is a work by Samuel Barber arranged for string orchestra from the second movement of his String Quartet, Op. 11.
Swan Lake	Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky	1876	This song was written for a play!
Eine kleine Nachtmusik	Mozart	1789	The translated name for this song is: "A little Night Music
Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95 "From the New World"	Antonín Dvořák	1893	There is a rumor about after a composer writes his 9th simphonysim he dies!

How do you read the different notes in sheet music?

In sheet music, notes indicate both pitch and duration. The primary notes used in Western music notation include:

Whole Note: Represented by an open note head without a stem, it has the longest duration in common time, typically lasting four beats.
Half Note: An open note head with a stem, it lasts for two beats, half the duration of a whole note.
Quarter Note: A filled note head with a stem, it lasts for one beat, half the duration of a half note.
Eighth Note: A filled note head with a stem and a single flag, it lasts for half a beat.
Sixteenth Note: Similar to an eighth note but with two flags, it lasts for a quarter of a beat.
Thirty-second Note: With three flags, it lasts for an eighth of a beat.
Sixty-fourth Note: With four flags, it lasts for a sixteenth of a beat.

The duration of each note is relative to the others, with each type of note having half the duration of the previous one in this sequence. Additionally, a dot placed to the right of a note increases its duration by half of its original value.