Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras provides the highest quality orchestra training to students from across throughout Central Kentucky. The base tuition CKYO charges each year covers only a portion (64%) of the cost of the audition-based  CKYO orchestras, with the additional costs covered by donations, grants, and fundraisers. Tuition varies from orchestra to orchestra based on the amount of instruction, rehearsal, and performance time of the ensemble.

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CKYO Tuition is collected in two installments - once each semester (in September 2025 and January 2026) but may also be paid in full in September or Monthly in 8 installments from September thru April. In addition, CKYO asks each student to participate in some fundraising to further advance our mission at CKYO. Fundraising can be fulfilled by selling plants in the from Pemberton’s Greenhouse (Poinsettias and greenery in November/December); selling an advertisement in our printed concert programs; participating in Bingo nights at least twice; or participating in other fundraising events as they may arise. To opt-out of participating in any fundraising, a family may choose to pay a $75 per semester cash opt-out in addition to tuition. A fundraising cash opt-out is considered a donation to CKYO and we will provide you with a donation acknowledgement form at the end of each calendar year for all donations made to CKYO.

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2025-2026 TUITION RATES by ORCHESTRA*

• Symphony Orchestra: $300 per semester = $600 for full season

• Concert Orchestra: $285 per semester = $570 for full season

• Repertory Orchestra: $270 per semester = $540 for full season

• Bravo String Orchestra: $255 per semester = $510 for full season

• Jazz Arts Orchestra (Jan – May): $270

• Jazz Repertory Orchestra (Jan – May): $255​

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*CKYO’s current tuition rates were set in June 2025 and represents a 3.44% increase from the 2023 -2025 seasons. In general, CKYO reassesses tuition prices every two years.

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PAYMENT OPTIONS & DUE DATES

1. Pay year in full by Sunday, September 14, 2026

2. Pay in two equal semester installments

• Fall Tuition due Sunday, September 14, 2025 

• Spring Tuition due: Sunday, January 11, 2026

3. Pay monthly in 8 equal installments charged September thru April. Sign up to pay monthly via a payment plan HERE (link to payment plan signup/not application, just an opt-in)

• Monthly tuition installment amounts for each ensemble, due by the 15th of the month:

  • Symphony Orchestra: $75.00, Monthly Sept – April.

  • Concert Orchestra: $71.25, Monthly Sept – April.

  • Repertory Orchestra: $67.50, Monthly Sept – April.

  • Bravo String Orchestra: $63.75, Monthly Sept – April.

  • Jazz Arts Orchestra (Jan – May): $67.50, Monthly Jan – April.

  • Jazz Repertory Orchestra (Jan – May): $63.75, Monthly Jan – April.

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DISCOUNTS and LATE FEES

• Multi-Orchestra/Sibling Discount*: For every additional child’s registration for CKYO, you may deduct 10% (i.e. 2 children in CKYO = deduct 10% from each CKYO member) *This also applies to students who participate in more than 1 orchestra on different instruments or both a classical and jazz orchestra in the spring semester (e.g. Student plays violin in Concert Orchestra and oboe in Symphony Orchestra, deduct 10% from tuition total)

• Late Fee:  Fall Semester: Tuition received AFTER September 14, 2025 that has not been setup on a payment plan will incur an additional fee of $25.  Spring Semester: Tuition received AFTER January 11, 2026 that has not been setup on a payment plan will incur an additional fee of $25.

 

Did you know? CKYO does not charge families the tuition amount that is equal to the full cost of running the audition-based orchestras. CKYO Tuition only pays for about 64% of what it costs CKYO to provide this high-quality orchestral experience to your students.  Your tuition dollars do not pay for any of CKYO’s Community Programs (Friends in Music or MusicWorks), nor does it pay for more than 25% of administrative overhead.

 

• Consider paying 100% of the cost** of your student participating in their CKYO Orchestra and make an additional donation of:

  • Symphony Orchestra: $170 per semester or $340 annually

  • Concert Orchestra: $160 per semester or $320 annually

  • Repertory Orchestra: $150 per semester or $300 annually

  • Bravo String Orchestra: $140 per semester or $280 annually

• Consider paying 75% of the cost*** of your student participating in their CKYO Orchestra and make an additional donation of:

  • Symphony Orchestra: $60 per semester or $120 annually

  • Concert Orchestra: $50 per semester or $100 annually

  • Repertory Orchestra: $45 per semester or $90 annually

  • Bravo String Orchestra: $40 per semester or $80 annually

 

• Pay it forward: Sponsor the tuition cost of another CKYO student. Consider donating the cost of a year or semester of tuition for a student who requests financial assistance for one or both semesters.

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Any of the above add on donations can be added to your tuition payments via the Tuition Payment Sites that will be emailed out the last week of August.

 

**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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LET US HELP WITH TUITION!
CKYO works hard to keep tuition as low as we can, covering about 64% of the cost of running the orchestras. CKYO’s tuition scholarship is available to any musician who needs help with tuition. No musician is turned away for lack of ability to pay.  Apply now for TUITION ASSISTANCE.

 

Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras tuition is non-refundable.

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