Register
Register for any of our five programs using these links:
- Suzuki-Based Class for 5- and 6-year-olds (beginning violin for those who have never played)
- Prelude Orchestra (beginning strings with zero to little experience on violin, viola, cello, or bass)
- Overture Strings (beginning string players with one year of experience)
- Intermezzo Orchestra (intermediate strings)
- Youth Symphony (main orchestra – for more advanced strings and all other symphonic instruments)
>>Audition Signup for YSO and Intermezzo students<<
Tuition
Tuition fees are as follows:
- Suzuki-Based Class – $150 per school year (or $80 per semester)
- Prelude Orchestra – $150 per school year (or $80 per semester)
- Overture Strings – $150 per school year (or $80 per semester)
- Intermezzo Orchestra – $150 per school year (or $80 per semester)
- Youth Symphony Orchestra – $200 per school year (or $110 per semester)
Payment is due no later than the first rehearsal of the semester. Payment may be made in cash or by check (payable to YSOECI). Payments can be paid online using this form or be given to Tiffany Arnold. If paying by PayPal, please consider adding a few additional dollars to help cover the cost of fees. Tuition is not refundable. A $15 late fee will be charged if tuition has not been paid by September 30 for the fall semester or January 31 for the spring semester.
Financial Assistance
A limited amount of money is available each year to assist students who might otherwise be unable to participate in the YSOECI. If you would like to apply, please click here.
Save the Instruments Rental Program
YSOECI students may rent a violin, viola, cello, or bass through our Save the Instruments Rental Program at a cost of $50 for the school year, plus a security deposit of $25. A school year rental may be extended over the summer months for an additional $25. Please contact Tiffany Arnold for more information.
How to Care for Rental Instruments
Instruments should be handled with care and should be treated as the valuable objects they are. Extremes of heat and cold should be avoided when at all possible, and in particular, instruments should not be left in a car unattended. Not only is the possibility of theft very real, but temperatures outside a range of 60-80 degrees will, at the least, cause the instrument to go out of tune. As temperatures get dramatically lower or higher, there is an increased risk of cracking and seam openings, both requiring expensive professional repair.
Students should teach other family members to respect their instruments. Bows, for example, should be used only for instrument playing, and never as toys. Avoid touching the horsehair of the bow, and always remember to loosen the horsehair when finished playing.
Rosin dust should be gently cleaned off the strings and fingerboard, as well as underneath the strings, when a student is finished playing. A polishing cloth is provided along with rental instruments for this purpose.
Be especially careful not to drop or bump your instrument. Dropping a violin will very likely cause damage requiring expensive, professional repair, and sometimes even causes a violin to be ruined beyond repair. For those renting from YSOECI, instruments have replacement values as follows:
- Violin $200 or higher
- Viola $250 or higher
- Cello $1,000 or higher
- Bass $1,300 or higher
The $25 security deposit will be applied to any loss or damage to the instrument, but in the event that more extensive damage occurs, those renting from YSOECI may be responsible up to the full replacement value.