The MEP operates on a non-profit basis and every cent of fees paid by participating students are used to fund the program including paying our directors and conductors. Rose Bay Secondary College sends out the invoices. We urge all families to pay outstanding invoices as soon as possible.

The Music Ensemble Program is registered as a NSW Creative Kids provider. To obtain a Creative Kids voucher worth $100, apply through your Service NSW online account and then email

Student’s name exactly as it appears on the Creative Kids voucher
Student’s date of birth
Voucher number to:

Fees are kept as low as possible so the music program remains accessible to all interested students. As a result fundraising is critical in ensuring we can both meet our commitments and build up our resources. We ask all families to help out with at least one of the fundraisers held throughout the year.

Music Ensemble Program Fees for 2022

It is compulsory for Year 7-11 to be enrolled in a Core Ensemble. Core Ensembles are $645 per year for any one of the following

• Rock band fundamentals
• Choir • String ensemble
• Concert band • Percussion ensemble

Extension Ensembles are an additional $125 per year for first extension and $60 per year for any additional extension

• Junior and/or senior stage band
• Vocal ensemble (not confirmed for 2021)
• Jazz ensemble (by invitation)

If your child wants to enrol in Concert Band, Choir, Rock Band Fundamentals as well as another core ensemble, the second core ensemble will be charged as an extension ensemble.

Elective ensembles $175 per year for each ensemble

• String ensemble
• Rock band

Please note that all students in Years 7 – Year 11 are required to enrol and participate in and pay for a Core Ensemble ($645 per year) as well as any Extension or Elective Ensemble. Any students not participating in Core Ensemble (e.g. Yr 12 students) will still be invoiced for the Core Ensemble fee.

There is an annual percussion usage fee of $75 which is charged to percussion ensemble students only.

Note: the MEP does not provide refunds for students who decide not to continue or whose attendance has been unsatisfactory.

Example fee calculation:

Ruby chooses to enrol in Concert Band, Choir and Rock Band. Her annual MEP fee would be calculated as follows:
Core ensemble – Concert Band $645
Extension ensemble 1 – Choir $125
Elective ensemble – Rock Band $175
Total $945.00

Please pay on time

By doing so you help ensure that:

the processing of fees flows smoothly and efficiently and
the budget can be organised to meet commitments throughout the year

Where fees are not paid on time, and arrangements of a payment plan are not made, students will not be able to continue in the program until payment is received. Regrettably, we’re obliged to be strict about this as joining the MEP involves a financial commitment and unless all the families involved meet that commitment the program can’t operate successfully.

The costs of instrument hire, tutoring and music camp are all additional to membership fees.

Policy on Waiver/Reduction of Annual Enrolment Fees

All students enrolled in the Music Education Program must pay their fees by the date specified in the notice they receive at the commencement of each year.
In exceptional cases, payment of fees may be deferred, or fees may be reduced or waived entirely.
Exceptional cases include, but are not limited to, the following:

financial hardship;
adverse domestic circumstances;
misadventure

In all cases, an application must be made in writing addressed to MEP Director.
An application may be made by the student’s parent/caregiver, class teacher or music tutor.
The Director will make an assessment as to whether the application should be approved.

Fees – additional information

The costs of running the MEP are met primarily by membership fees. These costs include:

The Program Director and Ensemble Conductors’ fees
The costs of workshops and sectional rehearsals, sheet music, instrument hire and maintenance and instrument and equipment purchases
Other necessary costs such as printing and communications, competition entry fees and other costs of performing outside the College.

We pay our Program Director and our Ensemble Conductors fair fees. We also include a small amount of money in the budget each year to cover contingencies and working capital.

How MEP fees are set

The MEP committee is extremely conscious of the need to keep fees manageable for parents. We keep them as low as we can. Our fees are at the bottom of the range of fees charged at other public and private schools.

This is possible only because of the enormous effort we put into fundraising. Our budget depends on the money we raise at activities such as MEP concerts, City to Surf, NSW Band Festival and so on. As well, we receive strong support from the college and its music staff. The College provides budgetary assistance and teaching time allowances for the music staff and also assists with equipment, use of college facilities and administration. The music staff give their time outside school hours gratis. We have also had some success in applying for grants.

Without these additional sources of support, fees would be around $150 more, per student.

Additional costs

Instrument hire and tutoring costs are additional to membership fees.

Instruments hired – for more information, see form

Instrumental tutors teaching at the school set their own fees but these are generally around $40 – $45 per half hour, with students usually being taught for 10 lessons per term.

Why you need to pay to join the MEP

The MEP is an extra-curricular program, not a curricular program of the college, and the majority of the costs are met from membership fees. The MEP fees are value for money: at the 2021 rate, a child participating in Junior Concert Band is paying less than $17.00 a week and a child participating in Junior Concert Band and Junior Stage Band is paying only $19.00 a week.

Fees