2026 National Board Music Practice Exam – Comprehensive Prep

The primary characteristic of a concert band is that it comprises woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments. This distinct combination allows for a wide range of sound and musical expression. Typically, a concert band includes instruments such as flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, trombones, tubas, and a variety of percussion instruments like drums and mallet instruments.

This blend of instrument families provides a rich sonic palette, enabling performances of diverse musical genres, from classical to contemporary works. The inclusion of all three categories of instruments—woodwinds, brass, and percussion—sets the concert band apart from other ensembles like orchestras (which also include strings) or brass bands (which focus primarily on brass and percussion). Hence, option C accurately captures the essential nature of a concert band.