This article investigates the application of Situated Learning in Communities of Practice (SL in CoP) as a pedagogical approach to tertiary‑level music performance mentoring. Drawing on the foundational work of Brown, Collins, and Duguid (1989), and Lave and Wenger (1991), as well as more recent music education scholarship, the paper argues that SL in CoP provides a dynamic model through which technical skill, professional identity formation, and artistic agency develop in tandem. By reconfiguring Herrington and Oliver (1995)’s nine characteristics of situated learning into a seven‑part conceptual framework tailored specifically to performance mentoring, the authors offer a structured yet flexible model that reflects the realities of contemporary instrumental and vocal training. The article applies the conceptual framework’s seven criteria to five detailed case studies to illuminate its transformative impact on emerging musicians. The case studies include a queer commissioning initiative by Divisi Chamber Singers, performance‑led activism addressing gendered violence through Linda Kouvaras’ Art and Life, culturally-situated programming centred on the Iranian Woman, Life, Freedom movement, an intensive collaborative performance cycle of Beethoven symphonies as a platform for knowledge co‑construction, and the development of an independent chamber music series demonstrating coaching, scaffolding, and fading. Reflection and articulation are identified as learning strategies across all five cases. Together, these examples illustrate how socially engaged and contextually rich performance projects foster students’ work readiness. The analysis demonstrates how a mentorship model that integrates technical instruction with socially situated performance enables learners to transition from peripheral participation to active contributions to professional musical communities. The article concludes that SL in CoP as a pedagogical approach offers a robust, future‑focused protocol for tertiary music performance training. By situating performance learning within authentic, socially relevant contexts, educators support emerging artists to cultivate interpretive mastery, ethical intentionality, entrepreneurial initiative, and community‑oriented leadership, capabilities essential for navigating today’s complex artistic landscape. Keywords: Situated Learning; Communities of Practice; music education; music performance pedagogy; mentoring; Cognitive Apprenticeship; authentic learning; instrumental and vocal Training.