Virtu.Academy

08/12/2026

Virtu.Academy and Musical Mentors Collaborative are honored to host a live, virtual piano masterclass with Emanuel Ax on Wednesday, September 2 at 5:30 p.m. ET.

A seven-time Grammy Award winner and one of the most celebrated pianists of our time, Mr. Ax has performed with the world’s leading orchestras and on many of the great concert stages across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Mr. Ax is also a Grand Mentor for Musical Mentors Collaborative, offering his artistry and mentorship in support of MMC’s work expanding access to music education. All proceeds from this special event will help MMC students access free and subsidized music education and mentorship.

Reserve your seat:
https://www.virtu.academy/emanuel-ax-masterclass

07/16/2025

Meet Virtu.Academy's featured piano teacher, Gabriel Palansc. Gabriel recently shared his experience teaching with Virtu.Academy:

"I’ve been working with Virtu for 4 years now and one of the most valuable things I learned about teaching is that everyone has their own pace and it’s truly fulfilling helping other achieve their music goals. Still wondering if you should sign up for a lesson? Well, there’s isn’t a better time than now."

Learn more about Gabriel and all of our talented teachers at www.virtu.academy/trial (plus get 50% off your first lesson!

05/02/2025

Happy Friday! Meet Christian Winther, Virtu.Academy's newest saxophone teacher!

Christian is an acclaimed saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer whose soulful sound and expressive compositions have made him a standout in the jazz world. Influenced early on by jazz greats like Louis Armstrong and John Coltrane, Christian began on clarinet at age 11 before switching to saxophone. After studying in Copenhagen and New York, he joined the legendary University of New Orleans Jazz Program under Ellis Marsalis and Harold Batiste. Based in New Orleans since 1997, Christian has performed internationally as a bandleader and sideman, including regular appearances at Preservation Hall. His latest album Refuge In Sound has received critical acclaim from JazzTimes, AllAboutJazz, and Offbeat Magazine, praised for its originality, heart, and deep connection to the jazz tradition.

Learn more about Christian and our other amazing teachers, plus get half off your first lesson: www.virtu.academy/trial

09/12/2024

With the recent announcement that TakeLessons will be shutting down, many musicians have been left without a platform to share their skills and connect with students. At Virtu.Academy, we want to make sure we can help musicians during this transition, offering support, new opportunities, and a dedicated space to continue teaching with VirtuStudios.

Check out our latest blog, written by our founder and trumpet teacher Benjamin Steger, to learn more about how we’re supporting music educators.

Struggling after TakeLessons' closure? Virtu.Academy co-founder Ben Steger explains how VirtuStudios can help music teachers seamlessly transition, grow their studios, and focus on teaching while we handle the administrative burdens.

07/11/2024

🧠 Check out this snippet from our latest blog post discussing the impact of public school music programs on SAT scores!

"Are extra curricular activities like band practice or a choir performance beneficial in the classroom? Moreover, students in Public Schools music programs scored an average SAT score of 107 points higher than non-music students according to the College Entrance Examination Board. This is a great fact concerning the impact of music classes for learners and individuals."

Read more here: https://www.virtu.academy/blog/impact-public-school-music-programs-sat-scores ✨

06/20/2024

Did you know? 🤔💭

70% of admissions officers of the nation's major universities say high school credit and achievement in the arts are significant considerations for admission!

06/07/2024

🎹Check out this snippet from our recent blog post about the best pianos for tight spaces:

"Living in an apartment often means dealing with limited space, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your love for playing the piano. Today’s market offers a variety of small, compact pianos that fit beautifully into tight spaces without compromising on sound quality or aesthetics. In this guide, we’ll dive into the best small pianos for apartments, ensuring you can enjoy your music without the worry of space constraints."

Read more here: https://www.virtu.academy/blog/best-small-pianos-for-apartments ✨

05/23/2024

📢 Check out this snippet from our latest blog post filled with tips for teaching music to children:

"Teaching music to kids is such a joy! There's nothing quite like seeing a child's face light up when they hear a few simple notes. If done right, music lessons can inspire a lifelong love for music and help develop skills like creativity, discipline, and confidence. So, let’s dive into some practical tips and techniques to make music lessons fun and effective."

Read more here: https://www.virtu.academy/blog/teaching-music-to-children ✨

04/10/2024

🎓 For our latest blog post, we asked one of our piano instructors, Michael Kaykov, for advice on auditioning for colleges such as Juilliard. Here's a snippet of what he had to say:

"The main challenge is finding enough time to prepare fully. I narrowed down my repertoire only to the pieces I would present in the auditions and spent more than a year preparing for that. With many of my students, I suggest new repertoire regularly but we also go back and polish longer term projects which have been in progress for several months or even years."

Read more here: https://www.virtu.academy/blog/music-college-admissions-michael-kaykov-insights ✨