Virtu.Academy, a premium online music education marketplace connecting students with elite musicians from the leading conservatories and music institutions, has announced its acquisition of Forte, a purpose-built software platform designed specifically for high-quality online music lessons.
The acquisition brings together Virtu.Academy’s world-class teaching community with Forte’s music-first lesson technology to create a studio-quality online learning experience for students and teachers worldwide.
Purpose-Built Technology for Music Lesson
Forte is a browser-based lesson platform and studio management software built specifically for music education. The platform combines lesson rooms, scheduling, payments, and student workflows into a single, music-focused product
Through this acquisition, Virtu.Academy now owns and operates proprietary lesson software built from the ground up for musicians. This replaces the need for general-purpose video tools previously used to host lessons and allows Virtu.Academy to deliver a more reliable, studio-like experience tailored specifically for music instruction.
The Forte platform offers music-optimized audio, improved stability, and workflows designed for teaching music online. Owning this technology enables Virtu.Academy to move faster, building features directly requested by teachers and students while maintaining a simpler, music-first experience. Virtu.Academy lessons have already begun transitioning to the Forte platform, which will continue to evolve alongside the needs of the community.
Expanding a Community of Elite Teachers and Students
The acquisition brings an extensive new community of Forte students and teachers into Virtu.Academy’s ecosystem. Many of these educators come from leading conservatories and music institutions, further strengthening Virtu.Academy’s founding mission to offer instruction exclusively from exceptional musicians trained at the highest levels.
Through Forte, Virtu.Academy continues partnerships with leading organizations including the Recording Academy, the Aspen Music Festival and School, and the Royal College of Music London. These partnerships provide access to vetted, verified educators and world-renowned artists, reinforcing Virtu.Academy’s commitment to quality, credibility, and excellence in music education.
Strategic Partnerships and New Growth Channels
Forte brings valuable business relationships into the Virtu.Academy network, including an established partnership with Sweetwater, the industry leader in musical instruments and professional audio gear sales. As part of this relationship, Sweetwater will promote Virtu.Academy to its customer base and provide the Virtu.Academy community of students and teachers with access to its high-quality rental program and full product catalog.
In addition, the acquisition expands Virtu.Academy’s reach into new student channels, including partnerships with schools to provide high-quality private music instruction. Virtu.Academy plans to continue investing in and expanding these programs as part of its broader mission to increase access to exceptional music education.
Supporting Independent Teachers and Studios
The acquisition also introduces a new product line for Virtu.Academy, extending its mission beyond a curated marketplace into purpose-built software for independent music teachers and private studios. Through Forte, teachers can use music-optimized lesson rooms, scheduling tools, and integrated payment processing to run their studios more efficiently, while remaining connected to the broader Virtu.Academy which provides an extensive support system and marketing expertise.
This dual approach allows Virtu.Academy to support musicians both as educators on its marketplace and as independent studio owners running their own businesses—meeting teachers wherever they are in their careers and giving them flexibility in how they grow.
Leadership Continuity and a Shared Visions
The acquisition builds on a relationship that began several years earlier. When Virtu.Academy founders Benjamin Steger and Bryan Rubin first met with the Forte founding team, they quickly recognized a shared belief that online music education should never be a compromise—combining world-class teachers with purpose-built technology to deliver an experience as high-quality as in-person instruction, while expanding access to exceptional music education for students around the world.
Forte’s founders, Mark Murtagh and Hunter McGranahan, will continue to provide extensive expertise as the teams integrate systems and migrate users. During this transition period, they will also focus on introducing new institutional and industry partnerships to expand Virtu.Academy’s reach.
That shared vision ultimately led to the acquisition, creating a stronger and more unified platform designed to better serve musicians, teachers, and students.
“We are incredibly excited about the opportunities that Forte and Virtu.Academy can achieve together,” said Bryan Rubin, Co-Founder of Virtu.Academy. “From the very beginning, both teams shared the belief that online music education should be built by musicians and held to the highest standards. Bringing Forte into the Virtu.Academy family allows us to pair world-class teachers with technology designed specifically for music, and to continue building a platform that truly supports artists, educators, and learners around the world.”
Looking Ahead
Integration between the two platforms is already underway. In the near term, Forte and Virtu.Academy will continue operating as distinct marketplaces while sharing core technology and a unified vision. Over time, the combined organization will further refine the platform, deepen institutional and industry partnerships, and expand access to exceptional music education for students and teachers around the world.
Together, Virtu.Academy and Forte are raising the standard for what online music education can be. This milestone would not have been possible without the extraordinary Forte team, their investors, and the community they built, as well as the dedication of the Virtu.Academy team, our advisors, teachers, students, and supporters who continue to believe in our mission. We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped make this moment possible and are excited for what we will accomplish together in the years ahead.
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