sight-reading
The ability to perform music at first sight, without prior rehearsal.
In Depth
Sight-reading (or prima vista) is the skill of playing or singing a piece of music for the first time by reading the notation in real time. It is one of the most practical and valued skills in professional music — session musicians, accompanists, and orchestral players must often perform music they have never seen before.
Good sight-readers process musical information ahead of where they are playing, much like a skilled reader scans ahead in a sentence. They recognise common patterns (scales, arpeggios, chord progressions) instantly rather than reading note by note. The skill improves with practice and experience, and some musicians develop extraordinary abilities — Mozart and Liszt were both legendary sight-readers.
Mozart sight-read a complex string quartet at the age of 14 — playing the viola part perfectly while simultaneously making witty comments about the music to the other players.