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The Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras is committed to making high-quality orchestral education accessible to students throughout Central Kentucky.

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Tuition covers approximately 65% of the actual cost of each student's participation in our audition-based ensembles. The remaining cost is made possible through the generosity of donors, grants, corporate sponsors, fundraising activities, and volunteers.

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Tuition varies by ensemble based on rehearsal schedule, instructional hours, and performance opportunities.

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2026-2027 TUITION RATES by ORCHESTRA

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PAYMENT OPTIONS

Families may choose the payment option that best fits their needs. Tuition Emails will be sent on Friday, August 21st. When you register, you will select how you plan to pay. 

 

• Pay Season in Full: Tuition is due by September 15, 2026.

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• Pay by Semester

  • Fall Semester: Due September 15, 2026

  • Spring Semester: Due January 35, 2027

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• Monthly Payment Plan

  • Tuition may also be divided into eight monthly installments (September–April for full-season ensembles) and payments are due on the 15th of each month. Monthly payments will be automatically paid on the 15th of each month via the card you save to your account.

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FUNDRAISING

CKYO relies on family participation in fundraising to help keep tuition affordable while expanding opportunities for all students.

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During registration, families will choose one of two options:

1. Participate in Fundraising Activities

Families may fulfill their fundraising commitment through any of the following:

• Selling concert program advertisements

• Working two CKYO Bingo volunteer shifts

• Completing HundredX Surveys (75 surveys per participating adult during the annual campaign)

• Selling holiday poinsettias and greenery through Pemberton's Greenhouses

• Selling Charleston Wrap products

• Selling BHG Gift Cards

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Any portion of the fundraising commitment not completed by the end of the semester will be billed at the fundraising opt-out amount.

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  2.  Pay Fundraising Cash Opt-Out

Families may instead choose a $100 per semester ($200 annual) fundraising opt-out.

The fundraising opt-out is considered a charitable contribution and is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donation acknowledgements are provided for tax purposes.

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DISCOUNTS

Multi-Student & Multi-Orchestra Discount

• Families receive a 10% tuition discount for each student when multiple students from one household participate. 

• The same discount also applies to students participating in more than one CKYO ensemble (for example, Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Arts Orchestra).

• Your discount will be automatically applied to your tuition amounts as long as you use the same parent/guardian email to register each student.

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LATE PAYMENT FEES

Tuition not received by the published due date and not enrolled in an approved payment plan will incur a $25 late fee each semester.

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PAY IT FORWARD

Many CKYO families choose to help another young musician participate.

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When making tuition payments, families may choose to make an additional tax-deductible donation to:

• Help cover the true cost of their student's participation

• Sponsor another student's tuition through the CKYO Scholarship Fund

• Support Friends in Music, MusicWorks, and other community outreach programs

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Every gift helps ensure that financial circumstances never prevent a student from participating.

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Any of the above add on donations can be added to your tuition payments upon check out.

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TUITION ASSISTANCE/SCHOLARSHIP

CKYO believes every qualified student should have the opportunity to participate, regardless of financial circumstances.

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• Tuition assistance is available to any family who demonstrates financial need. No qualified student is turned away because of an inability to pay.

• Applications are confidential and are reviewed individually.

• Apply for Tuition Assistance → NOW (due August 7th, 2026)

 

Please note that CKYO tuition is non-refundable. If you are applying for scholarship, do not make any payments until you've heard from the office about your application.

 

**100% of the tuition cost reflects the true, full and unsubsidized cost per CKYO student to participate in their orchestra. This includes everything from artistic costs (coachings, music purchases and rentals, artistic staff salaries, etc.) to operating and administrative expenses (venue rental, subscription services to email and text communication platforms, copying and printing music, repair costs for CKYO owned instruments, operations staff salaries, etc.) 

***75% reflects only the artistic cost per student to participate in their orchestra. This includes expenses like sectional and chamber coachings, part purchases and rentals, and artistic staff salaries (conductors). 
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