The Stewart Golden Music Scholarship is a one-time $1,000 award established by the Golden family to honor Stewart Golden's love of music and support students pursuing studies in voice, piano, organ, or music education. Administered by the Longmont Community Foundation, the scholarship is restricted to graduates of the St. Vrain Valley School District in Colorado who attend a four-year accredited Colorado college or university with a strong music program. The 2026 application deadline is February 28, 2026. It is best suited for graduating high school seniors from the St. Vrain Valley area or current Colorado college students who graduated from a St. Vrain Valley high school and are committed to studying music at the undergraduate level.
How the Stewart Golden Music Scholarship Works
The Stewart Golden Music Scholarship was established in memory of Stewart Golden to celebrate his love of music and enable others to study voice, piano, or organ. The scholarship is administered by the Longmont Community Foundation, which manages a portfolio of scholarships for students in the St. Vrain Valley region of Colorado.
The scholarship is a one-time award of $1,000. Funds may be used for tuition, fees, required books and supplies, room and board, and other direct educational expenses. Disbursements are split between semesters, meaning the recipient receives $500 per semester rather than the full amount upfront.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Stewart Golden Music Scholarship, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
- School district connection: Must be a high school senior graduating from the St. Vrain Valley School District, OR a student currently enrolled in a Colorado university or college who graduated from a St. Vrain Valley High School.
- Field of study: Must plan to study or currently be studying voice, piano, organ, and/or music education.
- Institution: Must attend a four-year accredited Colorado university or college with a strong music program.
- Degree level: Open to high school seniors, college freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and 5th year undergraduates.
Eligible High Schools in the St. Vrain Valley School District
Applicants must be graduating from or have graduated from one of the following high schools:
- Erie High School
- Frederick Senior High School
- Longmont High School
- Lyons Middle/Senior High School
- Mead High School
- New Meridian High School
- Niwot High School
- Silver Creek High School
- Skyline High School
- St. Vrain Virtual High School
Selection Criteria
Recipients are selected based on their commitment to completing a degree in music with an emphasis on one or more of the following areas:
- Voice
- Piano
- Organ
- Music education
The selection process considers participation in music activities, academic record, and the quality of the application materials. The scholarship is not explicitly need-based or merit-based, but the application requires documentation of educational plans and interest in music.
Application Details
Required Materials
Applicants must submit the following:
- High school or college transcript with fall grades
- Resume
- List of music activities
- Essay
- Recommendation letters
All materials are submitted through the Longmont Community Foundation's scholarship application portal.
Timeline
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Application opens | Typically early in the calendar year |
| Application deadline | February 28, 2026 (for the 2026-2027 academic year) |
| Notification | Varies (typically spring) |
| Disbursement | Split between semesters |
The BigFuture Scholarship Search lists the deadline as February 28, 2026, while some sources list February 28, 2027 for the following cycle. Check the Longmont Community Foundation website for the most current deadline.
Benefits
- Simple application: The scholarship requires standard materials (transcript, resume, essay, recommendations) without a separate audition or performance recording.
- Open to multiple class years: High school seniors through 5th year undergraduates are eligible.
- Flexible use of funds: The $1,000 can be applied to tuition, fees, books, supplies, room and board, and other direct educational expenses.
- Split disbursement: Receiving $500 per semester helps with costs at two points during the academic year rather than all at once.
- No GPA minimum published: The scholarship does not publish a specific GPA requirement, making it accessible to students with a range of academic profiles.
- Music education eligible: Students pursuing music education (teaching) are eligible, not just performance majors.
- Local focus: The scholarship is restricted to a specific geographic area, which reduces the applicant pool and increases the odds for eligible students.
Real-World Example
A high school senior at Longmont High School in Colorado has been studying piano for eight years and participates in the school choir. They plan to attend the University of Colorado Boulder to study music education with the goal of becoming a music teacher. Their family's income is moderate, and they need financial help to cover tuition and books.
They apply for the Stewart Golden Music Scholarship before the February 28, 2026 deadline. They submit their high school transcript (including fall grades), a resume listing their piano study and choir participation, a list of music activities (recitals, competitions, church music), an essay describing their commitment to music education, and two letters of recommendation (one from their piano teacher, one from their choir director).
If selected, they receive $1,000 split between their fall and spring semesters ($500 each). This covers a portion of their textbook and supply costs for the year. While $1,000 is a modest amount, it is a meaningful contribution for a student with moderate financial means, and it can be combined with other scholarships and financial aid.
A current college sophomore who graduated from Silver Creek High School and is studying voice at Colorado State University could also apply, provided they graduated from a St. Vrain Valley high school and are attending a four-year accredited Colorado institution.
Drawbacks and Things to Consider
- Small award amount: At $1,000, the scholarship covers only a fraction of annual college costs. It should be combined with other funding sources.
- One-time award: The scholarship is not renewable. Recipients receive it for one academic year only.
- Geographic restriction: Only graduates of the St. Vrain Valley School District in Colorado are eligible. This excludes the vast majority of music students.
- Instrument restriction: The scholarship is limited to voice, piano, organ, and music education. Guitarists, string players, brass players, and other instrumentalists are not eligible unless they are pursuing music education.
- Colorado institutions only: Recipients must attend a four-year accredited Colorado college or university. Students who want to study out of state are not eligible.
- Split disbursement: The $1,000 is split between semesters, so recipients receive $500 at a time rather than the full amount.
- Modest impact: For students with significant financial need, $1,000 will not make the difference between attending and not attending college. It is a supplemental award.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
The Stewart Golden Music Scholarship is a local, community-based award that serves a specific population: music students from the St. Vrain Valley area of Colorado. While the $1,000 amount is modest, local scholarships are often less competitive than national awards, making them a practical addition to any funding portfolio.
If you are a graduate of a St. Vrain Valley high school studying voice, piano, organ, or music education at a Colorado college, this scholarship is a natural fit. The application is straightforward and does not require an audition. Combine it with other scholarships, federal financial aid, and institutional grants to build a complete funding package.
For students outside the St. Vrain Valley area, this scholarship illustrates the value of local and community foundation scholarships. Many communities have similar awards restricted to specific school districts or regions. Search your local community foundation's website for music scholarships specific to your area.
For a broader search, explore our Music Scholarships Directory for national and international opportunities. Read our guide on music production essentials for preparing for music school, and use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to understand the financial realities of a music career.
Related Opportunities
- Berklee College Scholarships for students attending Berklee
- Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation for Latin music students
- Music Scholarships Directory for the full list of funding opportunities
- Longmont Community Foundation for official guidelines and application
- Scholarships.com Listing for additional details
