the orchestra was playing vs the choir was playing

Both phrases are correct, but they convey different meanings. 'The orchestra was playing' indicates that a group of musicians playing instruments was performing, while 'The choir was playing' suggests that a group of singers was performing. The choice between the two depends on whether the performance involved musical instruments or vocalists.

Last updated: March 21, 2024 • 638 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate that a group of musicians playing instruments was performing.

"the orchestra was playing"

This phrase is used to describe a situation where an orchestra, which consists of musicians playing various instruments, is performing music.

Examples:

The orchestra was playing a beautiful symphony.
I could hear the orchestra playing in the concert hall.
She enjoyed listening to the orchestra playing at the event.

Show examples from the web [+]

entire time the orchestra was playing. The song that followed the Cinderella March was a piece called The Merry Widow. This song was also played in the major ...
Orchestra Iowa is a United States symphony orchestra based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. ... By 1928 the orchestra was playing its concerts at Veterans Memorial ...
The Proms, more formally known as The BBC Proms, or The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts ... referred to outdoor concerts in London's pleasure gardens, where the audience was free to stroll around while the orchestra was playing.
Mar 21, 2016 ... On Sunday, one couldn't escape the feeling that the orchestra was playing the role of accompanist rather than antagonist, and there was ...

Alternatives:

The orchestra was performing
The orchestra was rehearsing
The orchestra was giving a concert
The orchestra was playing music
The orchestra was in full swing

This phrase is not commonly used in English as 'choir' typically refers to a group of singers rather than instrumentalists. It would be more appropriate to say 'the choir was singing.'

"the choir was playing"

While 'the choir was playing' could be understood, it is more accurate to say 'the choir was singing' to describe a group of vocalists performing together.

Show examples from the web [+]

By this time, the music the choir was playing required the addition of low bass notes; no bell foundry at that time was making bells to produce those notes. So the ...
Apr 4, 2016 ... When I got to the church, one of my band directors in the choir was playing the hymns for me. That's when we decided to move to Logan.
Mar 21, 2016 ... When you still drunk from the club last night & thought the choir was playing Lil Kim pic.twitter.com/bWRdHVI2OM. — Sir-Hampton ...
0:30. Sir-Hampton @_sirhampton_. When you still drunk from the club last night & thought the choir was playing Lil Kim pic.twitter.com/bWRdHVI2OM. 1 retweet ...

Alternatives:

The choir was singing
The choir was performing
The choir was rehearsing
The choir was harmonizing
The choir was in full voice

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the orchestra was playing vs the choir was playing