Maestro

Maestro (/ˈmaɪstroʊ/; from the Italian maestro [maˈestro; maˈɛstro], meaning "master" or "teacher,"^[1] plural: maestros or maestri) is an honorific title of respect, sometimes abbreviated Mo. The term is most commonly used in the context of Western classical music and opera, in line with the ubiquitous use of Italian musical terms.

For other uses, see Maestro (disambiguation).

Maestro sostituto or maestro collaboratore: musicians who act as and assistant conductors during performances.

répétiteurs

Maestro concertatore, the keyboard player, who prepares singers and leads rehearsals.^[2]

continuo

Maestro direttore: the leader of the first violins of the orchestra (see ), who may also have administrative duties such as hiring and paying musicians^[3]

concertmaster

Maestro suggeritore: the

prompter

The word maestro is most often used in addressing or referring to conductors. Less frequently, one might refer to respected composers, performers, impresarios, musicologists, and music teachers.

In the world of Italian opera, the title is also used to designate a number of positions within the orchestra and company that have specific duties during rehearsal and performance. These include:

Pandit

Ustad

(1 January 2001) [First published 1991]. The Maestro Myth: Great Conductors in Pursuit of Power (2nd revised ed.). Citadel Press. ISBN 0-8065-2088-4.

Lebrecht, Norman

(2006), The Oxford Dictionary of Music, 985 pages, ISBN 0-19-861459-4

Kennedy, Michael

; West, Ewan (15 October 1992). The Oxford Dictionary of Opera. Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 0-19-869164-5.