The word “maestro” comes from the Italian language and means “master” or “professor.” It is a title that is usually given to a highly skilled musician, but it can also be given to an artist who works in other mediums. Both men and women who are masters of music are referred to as maestros in the masculine form. The feminine form, maestra, has a different meaning in music than the masculine form, maestro. The term is applied to a wide range of musicians, including instrumentalists, composers, conductors, and teachers.
A maestro can be almost anyone who has an audience for his art, though most people who are called by the name are college professors. It’s a term of honor that denotes a person’s high regard among those who call him that, but there’s no official way to earn it. Anyone who believes another person in an artistic field deserves great respect can bestow the title unofficially. A music student’s music teacher is known as maestro. A maestro is also a world-famous violin soloist.
This term is also used to refer to the person in charge of the music at a performance, and it is used to cue the music at an event. To signal that the music should begin, an introductory speaker at an event might say, “Maestro, please!” at the end of his speech. This could also be used to signal the start of the music for a performer or special guest at the event. The phrase became so popular that it inspired its own song, “Music, Maestro, Please,” written by jazz trombone and bandleader legend Tommy Dorsey.
Someone who is referred to as a maestro may or may not be a master musician. It’s not always the person who presses the stereo’s “play” button. Though it all started with a group of musicians led by a real maestro, it’s now used at events where recorded music is played on cue by a DJ. The phrase is most commonly heard at high-class or retro-style events, but it can also be heard at everyday parties, often with a hint of sarcasm.