Kapellmeister

Kapellmeister (pronounced ) is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle (“choir”, “orchestra”, or originally, “chapel”) and Meister (“master”). Thus, the word was originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel. However, the term has evolved considerably in its meaning in response to changes in the musical profession.