Why Curtis?

Curtis provides the highest level of musical education to exceptional students from around the world—without financial barriers.

Every student admitted to Curtis receives a full-tuition scholarship, making tuition entirely free and ensuring that artistic promise is the only criterion for admission. Generous financial and grant aid further guarantee that no accepted student is unable to attend due to financial need, and that graduates can begin their professional careers free of educational debt. This commitment brings together the most gifted young musicians from across the globe to learn, rehearse, and perform alongside one another.

With an enrollment of around 160, Curtis accepts just enough students to support a full symphony orchestra and opera program, along with select programs in piano, guitar, composition, conducting, and organ. The school also includes Community Artist Fellows and a resident string quartet. Curtis’ highly selective admissions process ensures that students learn alongside exceptionally talented peers who challenge and inspire them. The student body is international, multicultural, and truly one of a kind.

Students receive personalized education from an extraordinary faculty of approximately 120 top-tier musical artists and highly credentialed classroom teachers. Curtis’ exceptionally low student-faculty ratio of 4:3 further sets it apart from other schools. Most students have access to multiple teachers on their major instrument. There are no teaching assistants at Curtis. Class sizes are small and curricula are tailored to the needs of individual students.

The dynamic Curtis Recital Series embodies Curtis’ educational philosophy of learn-by-doing. Curtis students share their music with audiences through more than 100 performances each year, including solo and chamber music recitals, orchestral concerts, and fully staged opera productions. In addition to live stage experience, students also benefit from high-quality recording and streaming opportunities that reach more than a million viewers annually.

Frequent master classes and residencies give students in all disciplines exposure to today’s leading musical artists, some of whom participate in performances alongside students. Well-known stage and music directors work with the Curtis Opera Theatre on fully-staged productions. Recent visiting artists include composer Amy Beth Kirsten, pianist Emanuel Ax, cellist Colin Carr, conductor George Manahan.

The school’s high standard for entry ensures that students rehearse and perform alongside musical peers. There is no minimum or maximum age to audition, and the student body is international and multicultural. As much as fifty percent of the student body comes to Curtis from outside the United States, and 20 nations are represented by the student body in a typical year.

With esteemed graduates such as Samuel Barber (’34), George Walker (’45), and Anna Moffo (’54) the power of Curtis’s legacy far surpasses its size. The Curtis campus reflects the rich heritage of the institution and the many musicians who have been trained here. The historical integrity of the main building at 1726 Locust Street has been preserved, as have many school traditions.