Classical Music

Classical music is a very old kind of music. It comes from Europe and has been played for hundreds of years. Famous people called composers wrote this music long ago. It is often played by big groups called orchestras.

Famous Composers

Many great composers wrote classical music. Mozart started writing music when he was only five years old. Beethoven kept writing music even after he became deaf. Bach wrote beautiful music for churches. Their songs are still played today.

A stone statue honoring three famous classical music composers in Berlin.
A stone statue honoring three famous classical music composers in Berlin. (Daderot / Wikimedia Commons)

The Orchestra

An orchestra has many musicians playing together. It includes strings like violins, wind instruments like flutes, brass like trumpets, and drums. A conductor stands in front and leads the group. Orchestras can have 50 or more players.

Fun Facts

  • Mozart wrote over 600 pieces of music in his short life.
  • The word 'classical' can mean music written between 1750 and 1820.
  • A symphony is a long classical music piece with several parts.

Did You Know?

Some classical music pieces are so long they can last more than two hours from start to finish.