Stewart Golden Music Scholarship is a $1,000 one-time award for students from the St. Vrain Valley School District in Colorado. It supports graduating high school seniors or current college students who plan to study voice, piano, organ, or music education.
How Stewart Golden Music Scholarship Works
The scholarship was established in memory of Stewart Golden to celebrate his love of music. It is funded by the Golden Family and administered through the Longmont Community Foundation.
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school senior graduating from the St. Vrain Valley School District, OR
- Must be a student currently enrolled in a Colorado university or college who graduated from a St. Vrain Valley high school
- Must plan to study or be currently studying voice, piano, organ, or music education
- Must attend a four-year accredited Colorado university or college with a strong music program
The award is a one-time scholarship of $1,000. Funds are split between semesters. The scholarship is restricted to tuition, fees, required books and supplies, room and board, and other direct educational expenses related to the study of voice, piano, music education at a four-year college or university in Colorado.
Application materials required:
- High school or college transcript with fall grades
- Resume
- Music activities documentation
- Essay
- Recommendation letters
Recent recipients have attended institutions including Colorado Christian University, Longmont High School, and Mead High School.
Real-World Example
A senior at Longmont High School who has studied piano for six years and plans to major in music education at the University of Colorado Boulder would apply with their transcript, resume, list of music activities, essay, and recommendation letters. If selected, they would receive $1,000 split between their fall and spring semesters. The funds would go directly toward tuition at CU Boulder, where annual in-state tuition is approximately $12,500. The scholarship reduces their annual cost by about 8%.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
If you are from the St. Vrain Valley area in Colorado and studying voice, piano, organ, or music education, this scholarship offers direct support for your college education. While $1,000 is modest, it can cover books, fees, or a portion of tuition. Local scholarships are often less competitive than national programs.
Apply through the Longmont Community Foundation. Gather your transcript, resume, and recommendation letters early. Write a compelling essay about your connection to music and your educational goals. Make sure you are attending or planning to attend a Colorado four-year institution, as out-of-state schools are not eligible.
Drawbacks / Things to Consider
The scholarship is geographically restricted to graduates of the St. Vrain Valley School District in Colorado. Students from other districts or states are not eligible. The award is only $1,000 and is a one-time payment. It cannot be renewed. Recipients must attend a Colorado four-year institution. Students wanting to study out of state will not qualify. The scholarship is limited to voice, piano, organ, and music education. Students of other instruments or disciplines are not eligible. The award amount covers only a small fraction of college costs.
Eligibility Criteria (plain terms)
- Must be a high school senior graduating from the St. Vrain Valley School District in Colorado, OR a current college student who graduated from a St. Vrain Valley high school.
- Must plan to study or currently be studying voice, piano, organ, or music education.
- Must attend (or plan to attend) a four-year accredited Colorado college or university with a strong music program.
- Out-of-state schools are not eligible.
- Instruments other than voice, piano, and organ are not eligible.
- Students studying music disciplines other than voice, piano, organ, or music education are not eligible.
Deadlines
- The 2026 application cycle opened December 1, 2025 and closed February 28, 2026. The 2026 recipient has been announced.
- The 2027 application cycle is expected to open December 1, 2026 and close February 28, 2027.
- Applications are submitted through the Longmont Community Foundation website.
Past Recipients
The Longmont Community Foundation publishes scholarship recipients on the program page:
- 2026: Cayden Leitheiser (Colorado Christian University)
- 2025: Jake Sawaguchi (Longmont High School)
- 2024: Van Reeder (Mead High School)
- 2016: Hailey Ewing (Silver Creek High School)
- Earlier recipients include Matthew Dillon (Lyons Middle/Senior High School)
The scholarship awards one recipient per year.
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Related Opportunities
- Music Scholarships Directory
- MTNA Scholarships for music students nationwide
- NAfME Scholarships for music education students
- Presser Foundation Music Award for music students
- Visit Stewart Golden Music Scholarship to apply
