a public performance of music by singers or musicians, usually watched by an audience
We bought tickets to see our favourite band at the concert next Saturday.
The school orchestra gave a lively concert in the gym.
✦ Late 16th century: from French concert, from Italian concerto ‘harmony, concert’, from concertare ‘bring into agreement’.
formal: agreement or harmony in action, feeling, or effect between people or things
The two detectives worked in concert to solve the complicated case.
Parents acted in concert with teachers to improve the school’s playground.
✦ Same origin as musical sense, extended to mean ‘bringing into harmony’.
formal: to plan or arrange something together with other people
The managers concerted a detailed schedule before the festival started.
We must concert our efforts if we want the charity run to succeed.
✦ Early 17th century: from French concerter or Italian concertare ‘bring into agreement’.
a long piece of classical music written for one or more solo instruments accompanied by an orchestra, usually in three movements
The young pianist performed a challenging concerto with the city orchestra.
Beethoven's Violin Concerto is considered a cornerstone of the instrument's repertoire.
✦ Borrowed into English in the 18th century from Italian concerto “concert, concerto,” ultimately from the Latin verb concertare “to bring together, to agree.”
