Meaning & use
wind ensemble
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Meanings
nouncountablemusic
A group of musicians who play instruments that you blow into, such as flutes, clarinets, and trumpets, rather than string instruments.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a wind ensemble' or 'two wind ensembles'; the plural adds -s.
Patterns
- a wind ensemble plays something
- join a wind ensemble
- a wind ensemble concert
She plays the oboe in the university wind ensemble.
The wind ensemble performed a march by Sousa at the spring concert.
Our school has both a wind ensemble and a string orchestra.
nouncountablemusicformal
A small classical group, usually one player per part, made up of woodwind and sometimes brass or percussion instruments.
Grammar: Countable; often used with a singular verb when the group acts as one unit, as in 'The wind ensemble was founded in 1980.'
Patterns
- a wind ensemble of eight players
- form a wind ensemble
The composer wrote this piece for a wind ensemble of ten players.
A wind ensemble usually has one player on each part, unlike a large band.
Word forms
| plural | wind ensembles |
|---|
Common combinations
- a wind ensemble concert
- Tickets for the wind ensemble concert sold out in a day.
- play in a wind ensemble
- He has played in a wind ensemble since he was twelve.
- a woodwind ensemble
- This piece works better for a woodwind ensemble than for a full orchestra.
- conduct a wind ensemble
- She was asked to conduct the wind ensemble at the festival.
- a student wind ensemble
- The student wind ensemble rehearses every Tuesday evening.
Synonyms and how they differ
- concert band
- A concert band is usually larger and may include many players on each part, while a wind ensemble often has just one player per part.
- wind band
- Wind band is a broader term covering school and military bands as well as small classical groups.
- brass band
- A brass band contains only brass instruments, but a wind ensemble also includes woodwinds.
Word family
- wind instrument noun
- Any musical instrument that you play by blowing air into it.
- ensemble noun
- A group of musicians, actors, or dancers who perform together.
Commonly confused: wind ensemble or wind ensemble vs. windmill?
wind ensemble vs wind ensemble vs. windmill
'Wind' in 'wind ensemble' means moving air and is pronounced /wɪnd/, like the noun for air; 'wind' meaning to turn a handle is pronounced /waɪnd/.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'wind ensemble' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A wind ensemble is a group of musicians playing blown instruments, so playing trumpet in it fits. Singers and painting do not fit the meaning, and a machine that makes electricity is a wind turbine, not a wind ensemble.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “wind ensemble”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.