Music Scholarship Supports Student’s Goals

March 25, 2025

Cole Featherstone playing the upright bass.

Cole Featherstone, a sophomore music education major and EWU Music scholarship recipient, plans to share his expertise with the next generation of orchestral musicians.

With over ten years of experience playing the upright bass, music has always been a part of Featherstone’s life. His future goal is to continue sharing that passion with others.

“With my music education degree, I plan to help show the world that classical music can be accessible,” Featherstone says. “You don’t need to come from money to enjoy and play music.”

Featherstone credits his EWU bass professor, Kim Plewniak, for helping him further develop his skills while teaching him practices he can use with his own future students. After Eastern, Featherstone plans to obtain a master’s degree in conducting and eventually a doctorate.

“I am open to seeing where life takes me, but I either want to study in New York or go to Europe,” he says.

With dreams like these, Featherstone has made the most of his time at EWU, building a foundation in classical music and learning conducting from John Marshall, professor of cello and director of EWU’s String Orchestra. Featherstone himself is a member of EWU’s String Orchestra, a group of undergraduate violinists, violists, cellists, and bassists.

As a member, Featherstone has had the opportunity to perform at the 2025 National Association for Music Education (NAfME) regional conference. And soon, he will take the stage alongside the professional musicians of The Spokane Symphony during their April 3 concert in Showalter Hall, on the Cheney campus. The Spokane Symphony, the largest and most active professional performing arts organization in the Inland Northwest, performs for over 150,000 listeners each season. For the first time in 20 years, and thanks to support from the Florence and Earle Stewart Endowment, The Spokane Symphony Orchestra will play alongside Eastern students, including Featherstone.

“This concert is an opportunity to prove myself as a classical bass player, as well as learn from players with more experience,” he says.

This applied learning experience would not be possible, Featherstone adds, without the support of the EWU Music Department Talent scholarship. Last spring, Featherstone was selected for this scholarship by competitive audition.

“It’s helping me get through college debt free,” a grateful Featherstone says. “It also solidified my place as a bass player here at Eastern.”

To those considering contributing to these life-changing scholarships, Featherstone says, “Scholarships like these help so many students study music and the arts, and we need more musicians and music teachers in the world.”