Coming up in Philly music: The summer serenade continues

The Curtis Institute Summerfest has ended, but the music hasn’t stopped. The Philadelphia Young Pianists' Academy (PYPA) fills the rest of this week (through August 12), with five faculty concerts and a schedule of events that include classes by master pianists like the chair of the Juilliard piano department, Jerome Lowenthal, and the former president of Curtis, Gary Graffman.

The concert schedule includes a chamber-music concert on August 9 and piano recitals featuring Lowenthal, Sony recording artist Simone Dinnerstein, Philadelphia mainstay Charles Abramovic, and PYPA founder Ching-Yun Hu. The repertoire ranges from Bach and Mozart to Abramovic’s happy channeling of Jelly Roll Morton.

Ching-Yun Hu is a Taiwanese pianist who teaches at Temple’s Esther Boyer College of Music in addition to maintaining a global concert schedule. PYPA is primarily an educational program for young pianists with professional aspirations, but its founder feels it also offers opportunities for young musicians from Asia and the West to meet and form lifetime friendships. For the rest of us, it’s another welcome addition to the summer concert schedule.

PYPA presented Ching-Yun Hu in concert on August 5 and Jerome Lowenthal on August 6. Coming up, it’s Simone Dinnerstein on August 8; chamber music with Ching-Yun Hu and guest string players on August 9; and Charles Abramovic on August 11 (all at 7:30pm). On August 12 at 4pm, hear the winners of PYPA’s Philadelphia International Piano Competition. All events take place at the Academy of Vocal Arts (1920 Spruce Street). Tickets ($25) are available at the door and online (with a $2.03 fee).