The Quiz: What is the name of the musical symbol pictured here?
Staccato
Fermata
Glissando
Tenuto
A fermata, also known as a bird’s eye, is written above a note to articulate that it should be held for as long as the conductor chooses. The subjectivity in the length of the held note allows for a conductor to have some creative control over the chosen piece, whether holding a long, beautiful chord or shortening the note.
The correct answer to this quiz is Fermata.