Violin Lessons in Pennsylvania
What violin lessons cost across Pennsylvania, and how to find the right teacher.
Violin lesson prices across Pennsylvania
A one-hour violin lesson in Pennsylvania typically costs $59 to $92, and a half hour $32 to $50. Prices change noticeably from town to town. The Philadelphia area runs highest, up to $111 an hour.
Every town has two guides: a violin lessons guide, with local schools, events and places to play, and a costs guide, with that town's prices in detail.
| Town | 30 minutes | One hour | Guides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia area | |||
| Philadelphia | $37–$61 | $70–$111 | LessonsCosts |
| Levittown | $36–$59 | $67–$107 | LessonsCosts |
| Norristown | $37–$60 | $69–$110 | LessonsCosts |
| Chester | $36–$59 | $68–$108 | LessonsCosts |
| Drexel Hill | $37–$60 | $69–$110 | LessonsCosts |
| King of Prussia | $36–$58 | $67–$106 | LessonsCosts |
| Pottstown | $36–$59 | $68–$108 | LessonsCosts |
| West Chester | $36–$58 | $66–$106 | LessonsCosts |
| Phoenixville | $36–$59 | $68–$108 | LessonsCosts |
| Lansdale | $36–$59 | $68–$108 | LessonsCosts |
| Willow Grove | $36–$59 | $68–$108 | LessonsCosts |
| Ardmore | $37–$60 | $69–$109 | LessonsCosts |
| Montgomeryville | $36–$58 | $66–$106 | LessonsCosts |
| Coatesville | $35–$57 | $65–$104 | LessonsCosts |
| Yeadon | $37–$60 | $68–$109 | LessonsCosts |
| Lansdowne | $37–$60 | $69–$110 | LessonsCosts |
| Darby | $37–$61 | $70–$111 | LessonsCosts |
| Broomall | $36–$58 | $67–$106 | LessonsCosts |
| Roslyn | $37–$60 | $69–$109 | LessonsCosts |
| Pittsburgh area | |||
| Pittsburgh | $32–$48 | $59–$88 | LessonsCosts |
| Bethel Park | $32–$47 | $58–$86 | LessonsCosts |
| Monroeville | $32–$45 | $58–$83 | LessonsCosts |
| Plum | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Allison Park | $32–$46 | $58–$84 | LessonsCosts |
| New Castle | $32–$47 | $58–$86 | LessonsCosts |
| Baldwin | $32–$47 | $59–$87 | LessonsCosts |
| Murrysville | $32–$45 | $58–$83 | LessonsCosts |
| West Mifflin | $32–$45 | $58–$83 | LessonsCosts |
| McKeesport | $32–$47 | $58–$85 | LessonsCosts |
| Franklin Park | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Greensburg | $32–$48 | $59–$88 | LessonsCosts |
| Wilkinsburg | $32–$48 | $59–$88 | LessonsCosts |
| Carnot-Moon | $32–$46 | $58–$83 | LessonsCosts |
| Washington | $32–$47 | $58–$86 | LessonsCosts |
| Butler | $32–$47 | $58–$86 | LessonsCosts |
| Jefferson Hills | $31–$44 | $58–$81 | LessonsCosts |
| New Kensington | $32–$47 | $58–$86 | LessonsCosts |
| Lower Burrell | $32–$46 | $58–$84 | LessonsCosts |
| Munhall | $32–$48 | $59–$87 | LessonsCosts |
| Allentown area | |||
| Allentown | $35–$57 | $66–$105 | LessonsCosts |
| Bethlehem | $34–$56 | $64–$102 | LessonsCosts |
| Easton | $35–$57 | $65–$104 | LessonsCosts |
| Fullerton | $35–$56 | $65–$103 | LessonsCosts |
| Emmaus | $35–$56 | $65–$103 | LessonsCosts |
| Northampton | $34–$56 | $64–$103 | LessonsCosts |
| Harrisburg area | |||
| Harrisburg | $33–$54 | $62–$98 | LessonsCosts |
| Carlisle | $33–$54 | $62–$98 | LessonsCosts |
| Colonial Park | $33–$53 | $61–$96 | LessonsCosts |
| Hershey | $32–$50 | $59–$92 | LessonsCosts |
| Progress | $33–$53 | $61–$96 | LessonsCosts |
| Scranton area | |||
| Scranton | $32–$48 | $59–$88 | LessonsCosts |
| Wilkes-Barre | $32–$47 | $59–$87 | LessonsCosts |
| Hazleton | $32–$49 | $59–$89 | LessonsCosts |
| Dunmore | $32–$47 | $58–$85 | LessonsCosts |
| Kingston | $32–$48 | $59–$87 | LessonsCosts |
| Mountain Top | $32–$45 | $58–$83 | LessonsCosts |
| Nanticoke | $32–$47 | $58–$86 | LessonsCosts |
| Lancaster area | |||
| Lancaster | $33–$54 | $62–$98 | LessonsCosts |
| Ephrata | $33–$52 | $60–$95 | LessonsCosts |
| Elizabethtown | $33–$53 | $61–$97 | LessonsCosts |
| Reading area | |||
| Reading | $33–$52 | $60–$95 | LessonsCosts |
| Wyomissing | $32–$48 | $59–$88 | LessonsCosts |
| York area | |||
| York | $33–$52 | $60–$94 | LessonsCosts |
| Hanover | $32–$50 | $59–$92 | LessonsCosts |
| Weigelstown | $32–$50 | $59–$91 | LessonsCosts |
| Shiloh | $32–$50 | $59–$91 | LessonsCosts |
| Chambersburg area | |||
| Chambersburg | $32–$50 | $59–$91 | LessonsCosts |
| Waynesboro | $32–$50 | $59–$91 | LessonsCosts |
| Hermitage area | |||
| Hermitage | $32–$47 | $58–$85 | LessonsCosts |
| Sharon | $32–$50 | $59–$91 | LessonsCosts |
| Other Pennsylvania towns | |||
| Altoona | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Bloomsburg | $33–$51 | $60–$93 | LessonsCosts |
| Erie | $32–$45 | $58–$82 | LessonsCosts |
| Indiana | $33–$52 | $60–$95 | LessonsCosts |
| Johnstown | $31–$43 | $57–$79 | LessonsCosts |
| Lebanon | $32–$48 | $59–$88 | LessonsCosts |
| Meadville | $32–$51 | $60–$93 | LessonsCosts |
| Pottsville | $33–$51 | $60–$94 | LessonsCosts |
| St. Marys | $32–$50 | $59–$92 | LessonsCosts |
| State College | $33–$51 | $60–$93 | LessonsCosts |
| Williamsport | $32–$47 | $59–$87 | LessonsCosts |
No Pennsylvania town by that name yet. Lessons are live online, so you can still start from anywhere in Pennsylvania.
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How violin learning works in Pennsylvania
How does violin fit school music in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania schools do not begin violin at one set grade: orchestra starts as early as third grade in The School District of Philadelphia and West Chester Area School District, while Reading School District has orchestra students in sixth grade. Vare-Washington Elementary in Philadelphia provides district-owned instruments, and some other districts offer limited school instruments or guidance if renting is difficult. State arts standards set benchmarks at the ends of grades 3, 5, 8, and 12, but each school board sets graduation requirements, so the school route depends on your district.
When school music starts in Pennsylvania districts
Who runs what for Pennsylvania violinists?
Pennsylvania’s student music route has two distinct parts: school-based honors run through the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA), while the Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association (PMTA) offers performance festivals and teacher-entered competitions. The PA-Delaware String Teachers Association (PADESTA), the American String Teachers Association chapter for Pennsylvania and Delaware, represents students and string professionals rather than running the main school audition ladder. That distinction helps you choose between an orchestra honor goal and a solo performance opportunity; school-sponsored eligibility matters for PMEA festivals.
Who runs what in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA)
- Runs
- Runs district, regional, and All-State school music festivals.
- For
- School music students meeting ensemble and grade rules.
Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association (PMTA)
- Runs
- Runs student performance festivals and teacher-entered competitions.
- For
- Students entered by participating teachers.
PA-Delaware String Teachers Association (PADESTA)
- Runs
- Represents string teachers, performers, faculty, and students.
- For
- String students and professionals in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
Auditions and events in Pennsylvania
How does a violinist reach Pennsylvania's top student honors?
Pennsylvania’s clearest school honor route begins with PMEA District Orchestra, where string players in grades 9–12 may audition. Students who advance can move to Region festivals, then All-State, for which eligibility begins in grades 10–12; the PMEA All-State Ensembles meet in April, after audition windows that run from November through February. The sequence gives a student a reason to build skills over time rather than treat each audition as a separate event. Solo players also have the PMTA Dorothy Sutton Performance Festival, scheduled for early November each year, and the PMEA Solo & Small Ensemble Music Performance Assessment, usually held from March through May with dates set by district.
The violin route in Pennsylvania, step by step
- District OrchestraThe District 7 audition window opens in November; selected students move on to Region festivals.
- Region festivalsRegion festivals follow district auditions; eligible students can advance toward All-State.
- All-StatePMEA All-State Ensembles meet April 14–17, 2027, after audition windows through February.
The Pennsylvania violin year
Pennsylvania State MTNA Performance CompetitionsPennsylvania Music Teachers AssociationStart the piece May to Aug
PMEA District 7 Band, Chorus, Orchestra, Jazz, and Modern Band FestivalsPMEA District 7Start the piece Jul to Oct
PMEA Solo & Small Ensemble Music Performance AssessmentPennsylvania Music Educators AssociationStart the piece Sep to Dec
Hershey Symphony Young Artist CompetitionHershey Symphony OrchestraStart the piece Sep to Dec
PMEA All-State EnsemblesPennsylvania Music Educators AssociationStart the piece Oct to Jan
Working on the event piece, 3 to 6 monthsEvent
What do auditions ask you to prepare?
For PMEA District 7 violin auditions, students prepare memorized string scales slurred four notes to a bow, played in eighth notes at a minimum quarter-note tempo of 120, along with the officially posted solo repertoire and announced edition. The auditions are blind, so the panel evaluates the playing without facing or speaking with the student. At the PMTA Dorothy Sutton Performance Festival, violinists may use sheet music, though memorization is strongly recommended; accompanied works require a live accompanist and the performance is limited to 15 minutes. A weekly lesson plan usually gives an event piece three to six months of steady work.
What else is there to enter?
The PMTA Keystone Concerto Festival gives student soloists a competition route beyond school honors; students enter through a teacher who has met the association’s membership requirements before the application deadline. For violinists in grades 8–11 who live or attend school in specified south-central Pennsylvania counties, the Hershey Symphony Young Artist Competition offers a regional opportunity, with its final audition in March. Both suit students ready to perform for an adjudicated or competitive setting.
Violin events in Pennsylvania, 2026–27
PMEA All-State Ensembles
Pennsylvania Music Educators Association
- When
- April 14–17, 2027; audition windows run November 2026–February 2027
- Entry
- Ask the organizer
- Who
- Primarily grades 10–12; selection and eligibility depend on ensemble
PMEA Solo & Small Ensemble Music Performance Assessment
Pennsylvania Music Educators Association
- When
- Usually March–May 2027; event dates vary by district
- Entry
- Ask the organizer
- Who
- K–12 students, sponsored by a participating music teacher
PMEA District 7 Band, Chorus, Orchestra, Jazz, and Modern Band Festivals
PMEA District 7
- When
- January–April 2027
- Entry
- Ask the organizer
- Who
- School music students; eligibility and grades vary by festival
Hershey Symphony Young Artist Competition
Hershey Symphony Orchestra
- When
- Final audition March 16, 2027
- Entry
- Ask the organizer
- Who
- Grades 8–11 during the 2026–27 school year
Pennsylvania State MTNA Performance Competitions
Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association
- When
- Usually early November each year
- Entry
- Ask the organizer
- Who
- Junior, senior, and young artist divisions; junior division is for school-age students
Homeschool and private school students
Private, parochial, charter, cyber, and cyber-charter students can qualify for PMEA District 7 festivals, but they must participate in their school ensemble or a community-based equivalent and have sponsorship from the appropriate PMEA-member director. That makes a community orchestra a useful route for a student whose school does not offer orchestra, provided it meets the district’s equivalency and sponsorship rules. The PMTA festival is another performance opportunity for students entered through a teacher.
Starting at any age
Starting a child on violin
A child can begin violin before school orchestra starts, and many districts open strings in third or fourth grade. Starting privately beforehand gives your child time to learn how to hold the instrument and bow, read basic notation, and play with a steady sound, so the first school ensemble is less overwhelming. A teacher can also keep that foundation growing alongside orchestra, where your child learns to listen and play with a section. Younger beginners benefit from short, clear steps and a pace that follows their attention and coordination.
A teen in Pennsylvania
A teen can enter Pennsylvania’s school honor route through orchestra, with District Orchestra auditions open to string players in grades 9–12 and Region and All-State eligibility beginning in grades 10–12. The audition sequence runs through district and regional festivals before the state level, with windows from November through February and All-State in April. Weekly private lessons fit alongside school rehearsals by giving your teen one consistent place to work through the solo and technical demands that come with each audition stage.
Starting or coming back as an adult
It is not too late to start or return to violin as an adult in Pennsylvania, and playing with other people can give practice a clear purpose. Johnstown Symphony Orchestra Community Strings in Davidsville welcomes adult violin, viola, cello, and bass players from Somerset and Cambria counties; the Philadelphia Community Orchestra in Philadelphia welcomes musicians without auditions. A teacher can meet you at your current level, whether you are learning the basics or rebuilding skills, and shape lessons around the music you want to play.
Finding the right teacher
What should a good violin teacher do?
A good violin teacher builds reliable posture, bow control, intonation, and reading habits, then connects that work to what the student wants to play. In Pennsylvania, a teen preparing for PMEA auditions needs a teacher who can guide sustained scale and repertoire work, while a younger beginner or returning adult benefits from a pace and style that suit their confidence and goals. Training matters, but a student also needs to feel heard and make steady progress with that teacher. Lesson With You teachers hold at least a bachelor’s degree in violin; you can choose one yourself or ask us to recommend a fit.
How do live online violin lessons work?
A live Zoom violin lesson gives your teacher real-time feedback on pitch, rhythm, tone, bow changes, posture, and left-hand movement. Set the camera so the violin and bow arm stay in view, with your music stand nearby; the teacher can pause and demonstrate when a detail needs attention. Online lessons remove the commute and give you access to a teacher who fits rather than only one close to home. In Philadelphia and Franklin Park, you or your child get the same choice of teacher and the same weekly one-on-one lesson, with one dedicated teacher who gets to know how the student learns.
What $35 a week gets you at Lesson With You
Violin in Pennsylvania
Where to hear violin
Beyond the large orchestra halls, Pennsylvania students can hear string playing in more intimate settings. In State College, Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra concerts offer student tickets, and its March 20, 2027, family concert is free. In Bethlehem, Godfrey Daniels hosts free monthly old-time and bluegrass jams, where violinists can hear fiddle parts in a folk setting. The University of Scranton’s public general recital also gives Scranton listeners a free chance to hear student musicians.
Where to play with others
Violinists can find informal folk playing as well as youth orchestra work. Susquehanna Folk Music Society holds monthly all-ages folk jams at Fort Hunter Barn in Harrisburg, while Appalachian Fiddle & Bluegrass Association shindigs in Nazareth include open jams for pickers at all levels. Adults in Davidsville can join Johnstown Symphony Orchestra Community Strings if they play violin, viola, cello, or bass and live in Somerset or Cambria counties. These settings let players build ensemble skills in different styles.
Violin around Pennsylvania, area by area
Philadelphia area
Philadelphia offers two strong listening options for violin families. K–12 and university students can reserve $9 tickets to Curtis Symphony Orchestra concerts during the 2026–27 season, and Curtis also presents free student recitals open to all patrons. The recitals give young players a chance to hear solo performance up close, while the orchestra concerts show how violin parts work within a larger ensemble.
- School year
- Aug 24 to Jun 9, 40 lesson weeks (The School District of Philadelphia)
- Town guides
- Philadelphia, Wilmington, Camden, Levittown, Sicklerville, Norristown, Chester, Drexel Hill
Pittsburgh area
Pittsburgh Youth Concert Orchestras gives young violinists a path into string playing with its Junior String Orchestra for ages 8–12, which requires an audition. Families can also hear live music in Wexford at a free public camp concert on July 2, 2027. The youth ensemble suits players seeking regular section experience, while the concert offers a low-pressure way to hear music together.
- School year
- Aug 24 to Jun 8, 40 lesson weeks (Pittsburgh Public Schools)
- Town guides
- Pittsburgh, Bethel Park, Monroeville, Plum, Allison Park, New Castle, Baldwin, Murrysville
Allentown area
In Allentown, Young People's Philharmonic invites string players in grades 5–9 to audition for its JSP ensemble. The 2027 Allentown Symphony Orchestra family concert welcomes the public and offers free tickets for everyone under 21 through the box office. Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra concerts are also free for students 21 and under, without an advance ticket, giving young violinists two ways to hear orchestral music.
- School year
- Aug 24 to Jun 10, 40 lesson weeks (Allentown School District)
- Town guides
- Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Fullerton, Phillipsburg, Emmaus, Northampton
Harrisburg area
Harrisburg Symphony Youth Orchestras offer young string players an ensemble route with placement by audition. College and high school students with valid ID can buy last-minute Harrisburg Symphony Masterworks tickets, and the orchestra also presents a free summer concert series. Families in Harrisburg, Carlisle, Hershey, and Progress can pair a young violinist’s ensemble goals with regular opportunities to hear orchestral repertoire.
- School year
- Aug 26 to Jun 4, 40 lesson weeks (Harrisburg City School District)
- Town guides
- Harrisburg, Carlisle, Colonial Park, Hershey, Progress
Scranton area
Scranton listeners can attend a free public general recital by the University of Scranton’s Performance Music student musicians, including the university’s fall String Orchestra concert. In Wilkes-Barre, Sunsets on SOMA offers free outdoor concerts on the third Wednesday of each month from May through September. Together, the cities offer a mix of student string performance and community concerts.
- Town guides
- Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Dunmore, Kingston, Mountain Top, Nanticoke
Reading area
Reading Symphony Youth Orchestra offers young violinists a place to play alongside other students, with an audition for entry. Reading Symphony Orchestra Classics Series concerts are free for students when a parent or guardian buys a full-price ticket. Families in Reading and Wyomissing can share the concert experience while a student develops ensemble skills through school and private study.
- School year
- Aug 24 to Jun 3, 39 lesson weeks (Reading School District)
- Town guides
- Reading, Wyomissing
York area
York Youth Symphony gives young string players an ensemble goal, and families can contribute more or less than the suggested tuition, with assistance available. Springettsbury Township’s Sounds of Summer is free, with concerts on Sunday and Wednesday evenings from June through August. For violinists in York, Hanover, Weigelstown, and Shiloh, it offers a summer way to hear live music in the community.
- Town guides
- York, Hanover, Weigelstown, Shiloh
Erie area
Erie Junior Philharmonic’s Prelude Strings welcomes beginning violin or cello players in grade 2 and up without prior experience; its other ensembles serve accepted students at different levels. Erie Philharmonic’s outdoor summer concert series is free, with performances in Erie and North East. Students with a valid school ID can also get $19 admission to symphonic or pops concerts when seats are available.
- Town guides
- Erie
A little violin history in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has a documented violin-making history: Moravian musician John Antes made a violin in 1759 in Nazareth, one of three American firsts among his surviving string instruments identified by the Moravian Music Foundation. The state’s folk traditions also include Irish music, fiddle and string-band music, and the music of Pennsylvania German, Lithuanian, Yiddish, Slavonic, and Bulgarian communities. Philadelphia-born violinist Valerie Levicoff began violin at six and later studied with members of the dePasquale family. For a student, that history connects classical violin study with a long local life of fiddle playing and instrument making.
Start Violin Lessons at Lesson With You!
- One teacher, one student, one personalized plan
- Weekly options for changing family calendars
- Build bow control, intonation, tone, and repertoire for school or personal goals
- Claim a free first 30-minute lesson
Frequently Asked Questions
Choose a teacher who can explain violin technique clearly and adapt the pace to your goals, age, and learning style. Lesson With You offers weekly one-on-one Zoom lessons with teachers who hold at least a bachelor’s degree in violin, and you can choose a teacher or ask for a recommendation.
Yes, a live Zoom lesson gives a teacher real-time feedback on sound, rhythm, posture, and bowing. A clear camera view of the instrument and bow arm helps, and the online format removes the commute while giving you access to a teacher who fits.
It depends on the district, but some Pennsylvania schools begin orchestra in third or fourth grade, while Reading School District has orchestra students in sixth grade. Vare-Washington Elementary in Philadelphia begins orchestra in third grade and provides district-owned instruments.
Yes, homeschool students can qualify for PMEA District 7 festivals if they participate in a community-based ensemble equivalent to a school ensemble and receive sponsorship from the appropriate PMEA-member director. A teacher-entered PMTA festival is another performance option.
A child can start violin before school orchestra begins, often well before third or fourth grade. Private lessons let a beginner build basic bow, posture, and reading skills before joining a school ensemble.
No, adults can start or return to violin at any age, and Pennsylvania has community options for playing with others. Johnstown Symphony Orchestra Community Strings in Davidsville welcomes adult string players from Somerset and Cambria counties, while the Philadelphia Community Orchestra welcomes musicians without auditions.
Violin lessons in Pennsylvania typically cost about $69 an hour, or $32 to $50 for a half hour. Lesson With You charges per lesson with no term to sign up for, and the first lesson is free.
