Question: where does the trombone sit in the orchestra

title: Orchestra
text: The conductor typically stands on a raised podium with a large music stand for the full score , which contains the musical notation for all the instruments and / or voices . Since the mid-18th century , most conductors have not played an instrument when conducting , although in earlier periods of classical music history , leading an ensemble while playing an instrument was common . In Baroque music from the 1600s to the 1750s , the group would typically be led by the harpsichordist or first violinist ( see concertmaster ) , an approach that in modern times has been revived by several music directors for music from this period . Conducting while playing a piano or synthesizer may also be done with musical theatre pit orchestras . Communication is typically non-verbal during a performance ( this is strictly the case in art music , but in jazz big bands or large pop ensembles , there may be occasional spoken instructions , such as a `` count in '' ) . However , in rehearsals , frequent interruptions allow the conductor to give verbal directions as to how the music should be played or sung .