A conductor asks an orchestra to play more quietly. He or she is requesting a change in A. tempo. B. duration. C. dynamics. D. pitch.

The correct answer is C. dynamics.

Dynamics, typically ranging from pianissimo (pp) to fortissimo (ff) represent the volume of a piece of music at any given time. By using dynamics, a piece comes to life and becomes engaging and exciting to a listening audience. The audience never knows what is coming next and are sitting with anticipation waiting for the next mood to be expressed in the piece.