The purpose of the article. Based on a retrospective review of the formation of the art of collaborative performance and the creation of chamber ensemble and concertmaster departments, systematisation of the thesaurus of definitions used in defining the profession of musicians in these areas, and study and analysis of the curricula of chamber ensemble and concertmaster departments of music institutions of higher education in Ukraine, an attempt is made to clearly outline the professional guidelines of repertoire policy of each department. The research methodology consists in the use of the following methods: analytical – to analyse the historical roots of the formation of the art of collaborative performance, the emergence of such areas of specialisation as “chamber ensemble artist” and “pianist-concertmaster”, the introduction of differentiated training for these types of performance practice in music institutions of higher education, the characteristics of the synonymous vocabulary of these definitions; comparative – to compare certain parameters of training at these departments, outline common and distinctive features; axiological – to understand the importance of both professions and to define value guidelines in repertoire policy through the prism of the traditions of education and the purpose of musicians in these areas. Scientific novelty. For the first time in the history of Ukrainian musicology, an attempt is made to expand the understanding of the historical roots of the creation of the chamber ensemble and concertmaster departments based on the analysis of the formation of the art of collaborative performance; to clearly outline the direction of the repertory policy of each department by defining their professional guidelines. Conclusions. The analysis of the historical roots of the art of collaborative performance, the traditions of forming chamber ensemble and concertmaster departments, and the competent interpretation of the glossary of definitions used in defining the profession of musicians in these areas are important components of a clear understanding of the functioning of these units of pianists’ training, contributing to the logical differentiation of their performance repertoire. This makes it possible to actualise the issue of forming special competencies in pianists in the context of each typpe of their musical-pedagogical and performance training. Key words: chamber ensemble, concertmaster’s class, repertoire policy.