An orchestra consists of four sections or families of instruments: strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. The instruments included in each section are as follows:
Strings: violins, violas, cellos, double basses
Woodwinds: flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, cor anglais
Brass: trumpets, trombones, horns, tubas
Percussion: timpani, harp, xylophone, etc.
Although it may vary according to the works to be performed or the conductor’s preference, the arrangement of the instruments is as follows:

The 60 or so instrumentalists of the Gulbenkian Orchestra are professional musicians who work and rehearse daily in the Grand Auditorium throughout the season (September to June), giving about 60 concerts a year. They also perform in free concerts in the city centre during the summer, and on national and international tours.