Erin Pitts is a passionate and dedicated violist whose goal is to promote the arts through solo, chamber music, performance, and teaching. A graduate of The Juilliard School, she was a proud recipient of a Kovner Fellowship, holding the fellowship for six years. Erin is currently pursuing a secondary Master’s degree under the tutelage of Lars Anders Tomter at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, Norway. She previously studied with Heidi Castleman, Hsin-Yun Huang, Cynthia Phelps, Misha Amory, Marilyn Seelman, and Manuel Díaz among others.
At age 15 she made her concerto debut with the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra as first prize winner of the concerto competition. She served as a Principal Violist in the National Youth Orchestra of the United States, sponsored by Carnegie Hall.
She has participated in summer music festivals and masterclasses including Music Academy of the West, where she studied with the Takács Quartet in the prestigious String Quartet Seminar (2016, 2017). She was selected as an International Program Artist at Music@Menlo in 2018. Erin attended the renowned Verbier Festival Academy in Switzerland, in addition to the International Music Seminar at Prussia Cove England, studying with Lars Anders Tomter and Thomas Riebl (2019). Most recently, Erin performed at the Krzyzowa Festival, an international chamber music event, bringing curated chamber music to Poland (2022).
Other awards and engagements include the Samuel Fordis Competition, Johansen International Strings Competition, and American Viola Society Competition. Erin was featured on NPR’s From the Top in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Priorly, Pitts has participated in the First Hindemith International Viola Competition in Munich, Germany and the 5th Tokyo International Viola Competition.
Erin plays as a substitute with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic.
Aside from playing the viola, Erin worked as the Government Relations intern for three years at Carnegie Hall. She also enjoys exploring cities, and recreating memorable restaurant foods and cocktails at home for her friends.
Erin is currently pursuing a master’s degree with professor Lars Anders Tomter at the Norwegian Academy of Music and plays with the Stavanger, Arctic and Bergen Philharmonics