Performance Workshops

The Pittsburgh Music Academy provides an extensive array performance workshops. These performance workshops are open for non-PMA student registration. Our annual workshops include:

The Concerto Workshop

Realize the dream of performing your concerto with a professional AFM orchestra! All ages and instruments welcome. Advanced students will perform as a soloist, and younger students can participate in our group solo category. This is a summer workshop that takes place typically in the month of August. Planning for our 2025 Concerto Workshop is underway - check back soon for details!

Collaborative Piano Workshop

Introduce studying pianists to the joy and excitement of playing with others in an afternoon workshop with coaching with Amaury Morales and members of a professional chamber ensemble. Open to pianists grades 4-12 who play at a Book 2 Level (or equivalent). We had a successful 2024 workshop featuring 5 soloists who performed with local ensemble, Radiant Strings. The students were absolutely fantastic. Congratulations! Check back for the 2025 dates soon!

Achievement Day

Achievement Day is an annual event that PMA created to help prepare students for future experiences like competitions and auditions.  These events can feel different from concert and recital performances.  Better results can be achieved in competitions and auditions by practicing for the experience at Achievement Day. Students will play for a panel of teachers and receive comments on their performance to be used to track your progress and target areas of improvement for the future. There is no additional cost for PMA students to participate, but Achievement Day does take the place of one lesson this semester. Achievement Day is targeted at Book 3/mid-level students who can perform a collection of repertoire including 2 scales, an etude, and a solo piece. Students may also perform orchestral excerpts or other audition material in addition to 2 scales. Check back for our 2025 date soon!

Advanced Violin Group Class

Dive into advanced technical skills like 3-octave scales & arpeggios, vibrato, advanced bow strokes, double stops, tonalization/harmonization and more with members of our Violin Faculty. Students will also learn advanced pieces of music to perform together and as soloists on each of our group concerts in the fall and spring, as well as in other performance opportunities throughout Pittsburgh. This class is recommended for students in Book 5 (or a comparable level) and above due to the intense nature of the classes. These are offered throughout the 36-week term for both in-person and virtual learning opportunities.

Audition Masterclasses

Audition Masterclasses take place throughout the 36-week term and are designed to assist with audition specific repertoire like for the PMEA orchestra auditions, as well as auditions for youth orchestras, colleges, and competitions. Students will receive specific guidance on their repertoire from PMA Violin Faculty, as well as play for each other and a panel of other esteemed musicians in the Pittsburgh area. Learning how to audition is an important skill, and developing it early will lead to more success! This is recommended for students in Book 3 and above (or a comparable level) who are preparing for auditions.

These performance workshops are open to all enrolled students of The Pittsburgh Music Academy and non-PMA students for additional fees. The dates will be announced as they are decided throughout the year. Enrollment for these workshops are done through Class Juggler. Create your account now for easy registration!