How to Pay
Parents will receive a tuition invoice by email at the beginning of the season. Please wait to pay until you receive your invoice. It will include a link for payment by credit card, as well as our mailing address if you prefer to pay by check. Scroll to the bottom of this page to learn more about our tuition policies.
Youth Symphony Tuition: $860 for the school year
The Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony is a full-school-year program, starting in mid-September and running through mid-May. Tuition for the full season is $860. Siblings receive a $100 discount. Invoices are emailed at the end of September and are due upon receipt. If you would like to pay in two installments, the first payment will be due immediately, the second payment in January.
Chamber Music Academy Tuition: $750 for the school year
Chamber Music Academy is also a full-school-year program. Tuition for the full season is $750. Members of the orchestra receive a $100 discount. Invoices are emailed in October and are due upon receipt. If you would like to pay in two installments, the first payment will be due immediately, the second payment in January.
Santa Cruz Chamber Strings Tuition: $300 per session (fall and spring)
Unlike our other two programs, Santa Cruz Chamber Strings has two separate sessions: fall and spring. Invoices for the fall session are emailed in October and are due upon receipt. Invoices for the spring session are emailed in February and are due upon receipt.
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Tuition Policies
The Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony and its Chamber Music Academy are full-school-year programs. Members are expected to commit to the full school year. Payment (please wait for your invoice) is due at the beginning of the fall set. Parents of students who join mid-year will receive a pro-rated invoice. Payment is non-refundable, except under extenuating circumstances.
Chamber Strings has two sessions per year: fall and spring. The sessions are billed separately. Payment, due at the beginning of each session, is non-refundable, except under extenuating circumstance.
Financial Aid
No musician will be turned away due to financial need. Financial aid is available for families who need it. Request financial aid on your application, and we will contact you. Also, the adult Santa Cruz Symphony offers assistance with tuition and private lessons through its Mueller Scholarship program.
How We Operate: Tuition + Volunteers
Tuition for the Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony and its chamber music programs goes toward the costs of running the organization, including multiple rentals — rehearsal space, audition space, storage for our music library, and concert hall rentals; liability insurance; compensation for the Music Director and Operations Manager; hiring professional musicians to coach sectionals; maintenance of our music library; purchasing new music as needed; copying and preparing music booklets for our students in fall, winter, and spring; and the occasional purchase and maintenance of instruments, equipment, and supplies. Board members and families contribute countless hours of their time as well on a volunteer basis to help the orchestra run smoothly.
Opt-Out Option
The Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony relies on volunteers to make our organization run smoothly. Parents are expected to volunteer to bring snacks at least once during the season. Other volunteer opportunities include helping with setup and breakdown for rehearsals and concerts, helping transport instruments when needed, managing the bake sale we hold at intermission during some of our concerts, contributing drinks and treats for the bake sale, ushering, and helping with publicity. For those orchestra parents who don’t have time to volunteer, we offer the option to opt out by paying an additional $200 with their tuition. Check the opt-out box when you complete your application and we will bill you accordingly. Some families use the opt-out as a way to support our work, even if they are also volunteering.
Refund Policy
The Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony is a full-school-year program. Members are expected to commit to the full school year. If your child needs to leave the orchestra before the end of the school year, please contact our board treasurer, Phill Williams. We can recharacterize the balance of your tuition as a donation and send you a letter acknowledging your donation. In cases of hardship, we may be able to refund up to 50% of your remaining pro-rated tuition. No refunds will be given for students who leave after the first two weeks of the spring set.