Lessonface and MET Orchestra Musicians launch free 2026-27 masterclass series

Lessonface will open a new season of free online masterclasses with The MET Orchestra Musicians starting in October, featuring harp, oboe and violin sessions led by principal players from the orchestra. The series expands access to professional-level coaching for performers worldwide and builds on a program that has already reached dozens of musicians across multiple continents.

Why it matters: - The free masterclasses give musicians and classical music fans access to direct coaching from members of The MET Orchestra. - The series extends high-level performance training beyond New York and into a global online format. - Selected performers can participate at no cost, lowering barriers for emerging artists.

What happened: - Lessonface announced a new 2026-27 masterclass season with The MET Orchestra Musicians. - The series will include three free live online sessions. - Featured musicians are Principal Harp Hannah Cope, Principal Oboe John Upton, and Assistant Concertmaster Bruno Eicher. - The first session is scheduled for October 25, 2026. - The full application page is available on Lessonface's MET Orchestra Musicians page.

The details: - Each masterclass will include performances, live coaching of younger musicians, and a Q&A. - Lessonface said the sessions are designed to offer insight into artistry, technique and the experience of performing at the profession's highest level. - Since the program launched in August 2020, Lessonface has hosted 38 free online masterclasses featuring more than 50 MET Orchestra musicians. - More than 100 performers have received individual coaching through the program. - Participants have joined from the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and 10 countries across Latin America, Europe and Asia. - The 2025-26 season featured Associate Principal Second Violin Sylvia Danburg Volpe, Third Horn Javier Gándara and Principal Cello Rafael Figueroa. - Previous repertoire included cello works by Cassadó, Piatti and Dvořák; horn excerpts by Berlioz, Brahms, Mendelssohn and Strauss; solo horn works by Saint-Saëns and Strauss; and violin concertos by Bruch, Mendelssohn and Mozart. - Videos of all previous masterclasses are available free on the Lessonface website. - The MET Orchestra was founded in 1883 and performs with The Metropolitan Opera, at Carnegie Hall and on international tours. - The orchestra also supports outreach and educational programming beyond the concert hall.

Between the lines: - The series functions as both a public-facing education program and a visibility platform for early-career musicians. - Lessonface is using a third-party adjudicator to select performers, which keeps the musician selection process separate from the MET Orchestra players who lead the sessions. - The continued online format reflects growing demand for remote access to specialized music instruction.

What's next: - The application deadlines are September 27, 2026 for harp, December 13, 2026 for oboe and April 25, 2027 for violin. - Harp, oboe and violin applicants must submit both an application and an audition video by the applicable deadline. - Lessonface will select performers through a third-party adjudicator based on the audition video submitted. - Lessons and watching access will remain free for the 2026-27 series. - Musicians can apply to perform or register to watch at lessonface.com/metorchestramusicians.

The bottom line: - Lessonface is keeping its MET Orchestra partnership focused on free, high-level coaching with a global reach.