What is a “Virtual Orchestra”?  In fact, there are so many different types of technologies, art forms, and practices that use this sobriquet, that it is impossible to provide a single simple definition.  Instead, it makes sense to divide this label into a variety of different categories, and then to explore each category to get a peak at the depth, intensity, and passion with which this new art form is being pursued.

Virtual orchestras exist in the realm of pure and applied research, commercial applications, information repositories, and a number that defy categorization.

In the other direction, different people and organizations use different names for similar developments, technologies, and instruments. Following is a list of some of these names:

• Virtual Orchestra
• Digital orchestra
• Fauxharmonic Orchestra
• Orchestral Enhancement/Simulation
• Virtual Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO)