Golden studied composition with Tomas Svoboda, Monte Tubb, William O. Smith, Diane Thome and William Bergsma, and music theory with Jonathan Bernard, receiving his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Washington in 1992. Golden received his BM and MM degrees from the University of Oregon.
Golden composes for a variety of media. He has been commissioned to write solo and chamber ensemble works, large ensemble works, and pieces for jazz ensembles of all sizes. Commissioning organizations have included the Nevelson Duo, the Huntington
Symphony Orchestra, the Whatcom Chorale and the Kansai 21st Century Symphony Orchestra. He has also composed for computer-generated tape, live electronics, multi-media, film, video and theatre productions.
Golden's music has been performed throughout most of North America, as well as in Japan and in Europe, and has been recorded on CD for New Ariel, La Flame and other independent labels. Among the honors he has received are the Guitar Foundation of America International Composition Competition (1996), a Meet the Composer / Commissioning Music USA grant (1997) and the ASCAP Standard panel Award (1997-2004). Golden is a member of the American Society of Composers and Performers, the American Music Center, Society of Composers, Inc., the Society of Music Theory, the College Music Society and the American Federation of Musicians.
(Music Teachers’ Association of California Orange Coast Cities Branch – Newsletter, January 2005)