NDSU Music Academy

Pay tuition online

30 minute lessons

• Fall (13 lessons): $247.00
• Spring (15 lessons): $285.00
• Summer (8 lessons): $152.00

45 minute lessons

• Fall (13 lessons): $370.50
• Spring (15 lessons): $427.50
• Summer (8 lessons): $228.00

60 minute lessons

• Fall (13 lessons): $494.00
• Spring (15 lessons): $570.00
• Summer (8 lessons): $304.00

Prorated Fee

• $19.00 for 30 minute lesson
• $28.50 for 45 minute lesson
• $38.00 for 60 minute lesson

(Summer lessons offered only by specific teachers, check with your teacher to see about availability in the summer.)

Registration

There is a $20 registration fee per student for first time registration only

After registering, we will contact you to schedule your weekly lesson time. Once we have found a time that works for your lesson, please pay your new student registration fee of $20 online through our website within 48 hours. When we have received your new student fee, we will reserve your lesson time. If the new student fee is not received within 48 hours, the lesson time that was agreed upon will become available for other students to reserve.

Payments

Once you have registered, you may pay in full or make two payments per semester for the fall and spring semesters. Payment is due before the first lesson. Lessons will not begin until payment has been received. If paying twice per semester, the second payment is due during the seventh week of the semester. Summer session payment is due in full before the first lesson. Payment can be made in the form of a check or credit card. Checks should be made out to NDSU and sent to
NDSU Music Academy
Attn: Tracey Dahl
PO Box 6050 Dept 2330
Fargo ND 58108

Pay Lessons Online

Make-up lessons

There will be the option of making up one lesson each semester for excused absences. An absence will be counted as excused when the teacher is notified at least one week prior to the missed lesson. If a student is ill, the teacher must be notified by phone a minimum of two hours prior to the lesson. If the teacher was not notified prior to the absence, the lesson will be counted as unexcused and will not be rescheduled. All make up lessons will take place during normal Academy hours.

Expectations

Academy students are expected to:

1. keep a regular practice schedule as specified by their instructor
2. attend all lessons and recital in which they are enrolled
3. bring instrument, music and all lesson materials to each lesson

Building Policies

Peace Lutheran Church has graciously opened their facility for Academy use, we wish to keep their building in good order and respect their property. The Sunday school wing is the only place students and parents will be allowed to wait in the building. An adult must accompany students at all times. Students may not wait outside of the building for any reason and must remain in the Sunday school wing. Our building host will greet you at the door and escort you to the Sunday school wing. Please use the west door located by the parking lot.

Student Dismissal

Students who are not meeting the expectations listed above may be dismissed at any time with tuition forfeited.

Cancellation of lessons

Lesson cancelled by the instructor will be made up at the earliest convenience of both parties. The Music Academy will only cancel lessons due to bad weather if NDSU cancels events for that day. Check the NDSU website, www.ndsu.edu, for cancellation information. We will not follow public school or Peace Lutheran cancellations. If a student decides to cancel due to bad weather, the instructor is not obligated to make up the absence.

Withdrawing from lessons requires written notification to the Academy office. If written notification is not received, students will still be considered officially enrolled and charged accordingly for tuition.

Refunds

After the first payment has been received, students are obligated to pay for that half of the semester. If a student has paid in full for the semester and does not continue lessons in the second half of the semester, a refund will be given for the second half of the semester.

Late Arrival

Students are expected to arrive on time and be ready for their lesson to begin at the specified time. Instructors will wait 15 minutes before assuming the student will be absent for the lesson. Instructors are not required to make up for lost time. However, if an instructor is late they will arrange to make up the lost time.

Scholarships for students are available on the basis of need through Excite Music FM.

Ava Brewster, flute

Ava Brewster is the flute instructor at the NDSU Music Academy. She is a senior majoring in General Music and Neuroscience, and this is her second year teaching at the Academy. She is from Moorhead, MN, and has played the flute for 11 years. She loves playing the flute and strives to help young players develop the ability to express themselves musically.

Evan Wood, guitar

Mr. Wood is guitarist, composer, and a December 2020 NDSU graduate. In his 13+ years of playing guitar, Mr. Wood has had opportunities to perform with a variety of local artists, perform original songs, and write/record full length albums. From blues to rock, classical to musical theatre and jazz to pop; Mr. Wood has had experiences and understandings of all these genres on his instrument.

Evan loves to teach music! He is very open with students and parents to try new things to reach the goals and best outcomes for his students. Evan believes that drive and passion are to be encouraged and nurtured by educators. It keeps people excited to pick up the instrument and it can turn practice into play.

Seth Schaefer, percussion

Seth Schaefer is a recent graduate of NDSU and got his degree in music education while studying percussion and jazz bass. He has been teaching at the academy for 2 years and just started a position as long-term orchestral assistant sub at Cheney Middle School. Outside of teaching and practicing, Seth loves collecting comic books, playing Magic: The Gathering, and finding ways to make his favorite meals vegan. Seth's passions for music and teaching were ignited by his high school band director and was deepened through his time at NDSU. He loves teaching because he wants every student to have a chance to love music and be able to express themselves in a way that words can't.

Erin Renner, violin and viola

Erin Renner is from Fargo, ND, and holds a B.A. degree in music from NDSU. She got her start in music when she was growing up, playing old-time and bluegrass fiddle, guitar, and banjo. While at NDSU, Erin studied violin and viola, playing a range of orchestra, chamber, and solo works. She enjoys teaching lessons at the Music Academy because it allows her to help students enjoy playing their instruments, explore their interests in music, discover new musical styles, and achieve their musical goals.

Cameron Solberg, oboe

Cameron Solberg grew up in Fargo, North Dakota and is gaining her Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education at North Dakota State University. She studies oboe under Philip McKenzie and studied under Jennifer Peterson prior to college. Cameron has obtained a variety of performing and teaching opportunities while studying at NDSU. These experiences include playing in the NDSU Wind Symphony, NDSU Woodwind Quintet, NDSU Gold Star Marching Band, NDSU Jazz Ensemble, NDSU Saxophone Quartet, and various chamber ensembles for NDSU’s operas and choirs. She has also earned the title as a finalist in the Bismarck Mandan Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Concerto Competition and competed in the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Concerto Competition and the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Solo Competition.

While performing is a large passion for Cameron, she also enjoys sharing her knowledge and appreciation for music through teaching. In addition to teaching private oboe lessons for the NDSU Music Academy, she has also volunteered as a camp counselor for the Bemidji MusiCamp.

Onna Scheuer, piano and ukulele

Onna Scheuer has been teaching at the NDSU Music Academy since the Spring of 2020. She grew up in Bismarck, ND, and is currently a third-year student at NDSU. Onna is a double major in Psychology and Music and is going to pursue a master's degree in Music Therapy after graduating in the Spring of 2022. Onna has always been passionate about music and has played piano since age 7 years old. She likes to sing as well as write her own music, and she also plays guitar, percussion, and the flute. Teaching has been an amazing experience because she enjoys connecting with her students through music and seeing them become musicians as they progress in their lessons.

Matthew Pasch, horn

Originally from Rochester, Minnesota, Matthew Pasch is an Instrumental Music Education major with a Computer Science minor at NDSU. He plays the horn in many ensembles at NDSU, and in his free time he likes to play video games and board games. He enjoys teaching music because he likes seeing people succeed in what they are doing, and he can help with that through music.

Isaac Homuth, trumpet

Isaac Homuth is currently an instrumental music education major at North Dakota State University. He graduated from high school just across the river at Moorhead High, so he has been around the FM area his entire life. Being the principal trumpet player in the NDSU Wind Symphony, split-lead trumpet player in the NDSU Jazz Ensemble, section leader in the Gold Star Marching Band, and the leader of the Gold Star Brass Quintet, he loves being a leader and helping others achieve their goals. Trumpet is his true passion and he wants to share it with as many people as possible. Besides music, Isaac also enjoys disc golf, chess, table tennis, watching movies, and cooking.

Nicholas Hovey, voice


Nicholas Hovey is a senior vocal music education major at NDSU. Nick is involved in Concert Choir, Madrigal Singers, and Bison Arts singers. In his free time Nick loves to disc golf with friends. He is excited for this opportunity to start teaching at the music academy and share his love of music with young singers around the F-M Area.

Tim Stine, guitar

Guitarist and composer Tim Stine has been an active member of Chicago’s dynamic jazz and improvised music communities since 2008. A native of North Dakota, Stine studied music at Minnesota State University Moorhead and CCM in Cincinnati before moving to Chicago where his highly original compositional style and unique instrumental voice soon became integral features of the city’s renowned progressive music scene. As a bandleader, Stine has focused his energies on two projects in which he plays acoustic guitar: a trio with bassist Anton Hatwich and drummer Frank Rosaly; and a quartet with alto saxophonist Nick Mazzarella, bassist Matt Ulery, and drummer Quin Kirchner. These ensembles specialize in performing and recording Stine’s original material and have released albums on the record labels Astral Spirits (Tim Stine Trio, Trim Stine Trio, 2016) and Clean Feed (Knots, Tim Stine Quartet, 2019). As a sideman, Stine primarily plays electric guitar and has contributed to numerous Chicago-based bands, most notably the Nick Mazzarella Quintet and the Jarod Bufe Quartet. Apart from these working groups, Stine frequently collaborates with some of Chicago’s most celebrated improvisers including drummer Mike Reed, bassists Jason Roebke and Matt Lux, and cornetist Josh Berman.