Concertmaster

The concertmaster (from German Konzertmeister) is the spalla or leader of the first violin section of an orchestra. In the UK, the term commonly used is leader. Any violin solo in an orchestral work is played by the concertmaster (except in the case of a concerto, in which case a guest soloist usually plays). It is usually required that the concertmaster be the most skilled musician in the section, experienced at learning music quickly, and counting and observing the conductor for the rest of the section to follow. The concertmaster is the leader of not only the string section, but of the entire orchestra, subordinate only to the conductor.