A quintet is a group of five musicians who perform together, or a piece of music written for five performers. String quintets typically add an extra viola or cello to the standard string quartet. Brass quintets usually include two trumpets, a horn, a trombone, and a tuba. Jazz quintets might feature a trumpet, saxophone, piano, bass, and drums.

While quartets (four players) are common in classical music, quintets offer composers richer textures and more complex harmonies. Mozart, Brahms, and many other composers wrote famous quintets that are still performed today.

The term can also describe any group of five people working together. Five friends forming a basketball team could call themselves a quintet, though you'd more commonly hear this word in musical contexts. When you see quintet on a concert program, expect five talented musicians collaborating to create something that none of them could produce alone.