Percussion, and others

The UK’s Philharmonia Orchestra has produced a series of videos to help people learn about instruments.

Here is the percussion section. The ‘Percussion’ video includes a variety of instruments: vibraphone (at the beginning), xylophone (2:28), marimba (3:32), glockenspiel (4:53), drums, cymbals etc. (from 5:54). The timpani (or kettledrums) are covered in a separate video.

Not sure what a celeste (or celesta) is? You will almost certainly have heard this instrument in the Harry Potter movie soundtracks, as well as in Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Finally, there are also some videos about instruments which are rarely found in an orchestra, such as the banjo.