Realfeedbackfromrealpracticerooms.
Virtunity is still in early access, but the validation is clear. Students who used it consistently placed higher in their auditions. Teachers spent less lesson time on fundamentals and more on artistry. Parents finally had visibility into what practice was actually accomplishing.
Early Access Feedback
What we heard
"The students who used Virtunity consistently walked into auditions more prepared and placed higher than they had before."
Justin Berchtold
Band Director, Merit School of Music (founder-run studio beta)
"I like that I know exactly what to practice and that it remembers what I worked on with my teacher."
Aiden R.
High School Clarinet Student, Early Access
"Private lessons have more impact because Emma's daily practice is more focused on what was discussed in the lesson."
Lisa M.
Band Parent, Early Access
The Landscape
Why this matters
Virtunity exists because band directors, students, and parents told us what they needed.
64%
of band directors said they'd use a tool that tracks student fundamentals between lessons
30+
minutes per day—the average practice time. But students have no way to know if they're improving.
Lesson time
Teachers spend it re-teaching fundamentals instead of working on musicality, phrasing, and artistry.
Why We Built This
Built by a band director. For band directors.
Justin Berchtold, Founder
I taught myself clarinet as a kid with no private teacher. I searched the internet for fingering charts and listened to recordings, guessing whether I was actually getting better. When I earned a spot in the Marine Corps Band and eventually studied at DePaul, I realized I'd gotten lucky—not everyone has that path.
Now I teach in Chicago. My students range from first-year beginners to high school students accepted into some of the nation's best conservatories. I see the same thing at every level: they practice hard, show up to rehearsals, and have no idea if they're actually improving. Most don't have access to private lessons. They need objective feedback on pitch, rhythm, and timing—the athletic fundamentals they can control.
Virtunity is the tool I wish I'd had at 14. And the one my students needed.
I ran a beta last year with my own studio and my classes. The students who used Virtunity consistently placed higher in their auditions. Teachers reported spending less time on scale critique and more time on phrasing and dynamics. That's when I knew this had to exist for every band student.
Background
- Former Concertmaster & Principal Clarinet, Marine Forces Pacific Band
- Featured soloist, 2014 Marine Corps Live Recording of the Year
- BM in Music Performance, DePaul University
- Band Director & Private Lesson Instructor, Chicago
Beta Testing
What the beta showed us
Real outcomes from real students over one year of testing.
Students placed higher in auditions
Every student in the beta who used Virtunity consistently placed higher in All-State and chair auditions than in the previous year. Improvement ranged from one chair to multiple positions.
Practice became focused
Without daily plans, students would practice scales mindlessly or jump between exercises. With Virtunity targeting their weakest areas, practice time became intentional. Less wandering, more targeted work on what actually mattered.
Teachers freed up lesson time
Band directors reported spending significantly less lesson time on fundamental critique ('your intonation is flat,' 'that rhythm was sloppy') and more time on artistry. Students showed up with scores, knew their weak areas, and came ready to work on expression and musicality.
Parents had visibility
For the first time, parents could see their child's practice consistency and fundamentals improvement. It gave them concrete proof that their investment in lessons and instruments was paying off.
How students and teachers use Virtunity
Student picks an exercise
Daily plans are built around their recent scores. Virtunity targets their weakest areas.
Student plays into the app
Virtunity listens to the entire performance and scores pitch accuracy, rhythm precision, and timing consistency.
Teacher and parent see progress
Teachers get a dashboard showing which students practiced, their scores, and improvement trends. Parents see the same data for their child.
Lesson time becomes about artistry
Teachers can see what fundamentals were practiced and how they scored. Lesson time can focus on phrasing, musicality, and expression—the things only a human can teach.