| Level | Student | Instrument | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle School | Charlotte Rogers | Flute | Buford Middle School |
| Middle School | Chasdyn King | Trumpet | Pierce County Middle School |
| High School | Luke Baker Griffies | Clarinet | Sequoyah High School |
| High School | Ryan Elizabeth Norrell | Oboe | Columbus High School |
| Graduating Senior | Declan Johnston | Bassoon | Buford High School |
Tara Winds Scholarship Fund
The Tara Winds Scholarship Fund was established in 1993 to share the love of music by providing funds to further music education. Since its inception, over $143,000 has been awarded to middle and high school band students to attend summer music camps and colleges across the nation. Recipients have attended offerings such as Interlochen, Tanglewood at Boston College, Encore Band Camp, Music for All Summer Symposium, various university summer camps, and summer intensive study programs. Graduating Senior Scholarship Recipients in the last ten years have attended Julliard, Berklee College of Music, The University of Southern California, Indiana University, North Texas, Michigan, and the University of Georgia.
Scholarships are awarded to students grades 7-11 as well as graduating seniors pursuing higher education in instrumental music. Recipients are chosen through an application process. Scholarship recipients are recognized and awarded at the Tara Winds Spring Concert.
Application Requirements
- Any student grades 7 through 12 currently enrolled in their school band program in the state of Georgia is eligible to apply.
- To be considered, candidates must fully complete and submit the application. The application can be accessed by clicking here.
- All candidates will need to have their band director complete and submit a reference form. The reference form is available by clicking here.
- Graduating Seniors ONLY: Graduating Seniors will need to submit a copy of their acceptance letter(s) into the college/university they plan to attend majoring in music. If you are still considering offers, please submit acceptance letters for your top three choices. Submissions should be emailed to scholarship@tarawinds.org. In the subject line, simply type your first and last name.
- All Applications and Band Director Reference Forms are due no later than 11:59 p.m. on April 17, 2026
How to Donate
The Tara Winds Scholarship Fund is endowed solely by donors. We are very fortunate to live in a state where Music Education is alive and well. This is our way of giving back to some of the most talented and dedicated students throughout the state of Georgia. We have several levels of sponsorship:
- Virtuoso ($1,000 or more)
- Conductor’s Circle ($500-$999)
- Benefactor ($250-$499)
- Patron ($100-$249)
- Guarantor ($25-$99)
$500 funds one scholarship to a student currently finishing the 7th through 11th grades.
$2000 funds one scholarship to a graduating senior planning to major in music.
All funds go directly to student scholarships.
There are two ways to donate:
- Credit Card:
- Check: View the Donor Letter for directions to donate via check.
2025 Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients!
2025 Donors
Thank you to those individuals and partners who make our Scholarship Program possible. We appreciate your support!
| Conductor's Circle | Benefactor | Patron | Guarantor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ed and Marcia Davis | Tom Anderson & Cathe' McKinnon | Julia Blake | Sheila Smith |
| Jay and Cathy Asher | George Blevins | Brendon Gayron | |
| Claudia Bullington | Alan Fowler | (In Honor of) Violet Asher | |
| Randy Lauscher | Linda Kirchner | ||
| Donovan McMurray and Chase Morrison | Laura Webb | ||
| Larry and Martha Lynn Volman | |||
| Meg Fisher | |||
| (In Honor of) Teri Taylor |