Which term refers to a piece in which a soloist is accompanied by an orchestra?

• A. Andantino
• B. Alla
• C. Concerto
• D. Animato

Answer: (C)

A piece featuring a solo instrument with orchestral accompaniment is called a concerto. This form centers the soloist, who performs virtuosic passages and often engages in dialogue with the orchestra, which supplies contrasting textures and support. The idea is the interplay between the soloist and the ensemble, highlighting the soloist’s instrument.

Other terms here are not about a work that features a soloist with the orchestra. Andantino is a tempo marking indicating a moderately slow pace, not a form. Alla is a stylistic or descriptive directive meaning “in the style of” or used in specific phrases, not a solo-with-orchestra form. Animato means lively or animated in character, again a mood/tempo indication rather than a form with a soloist and orchestra.

So the term that best fits a piece with a soloist accompanied by an orchestra is concerto.