“I had the best working relationship with my co-teachers. We tried to have a cohesive sense of community among all our choirs. One of the ways that we could encourage collegiality amongst our students was to have fun visibly together. If it was clear that we wanted to learn from each other, we respected each other, we admired each other, then the students would do the same thing. That was a great life lesson about creating a healthy culture across choral ensembles: be best friends with your colleagues, let your students see you have fun together, and they will want to have fun together.”

Dr. Matt Taylor serves as Assistant Professor and Director of Choral Activities at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN, where he leads Schola Cantorum Chorale while teaching courses in Conducting and Choral Literature. He brings a strong record of work with singers at every level, along with a clear commitment to student growth and ensemble artistry.

Before joining MTSU, Dr. Taylor served on the faculty at Lipscomb University and spent five years as Associate Choral Director at Wando High School in Charleston, South Carolina. He remains active across the region as a conductor of honor choirs and as a guest clinician for school and church ensembles. He also serves as director of the Governor’s School Chorale with the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts. Beyond the podium, he performs as a member of Vocal Arts Nashville and works as a double bassist in live and recording settings. His broad musicianship reflects a deep connection to both choral and instrumental traditions.

Dr. Taylor holds degrees from Samford University, Louisiana State University, and the University of Georgia.

To get in touch with Matt, you can email him at matt.t.taylor@mtsu.edu or find him on Instagram: @matthewtimonthy.

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Podcast music from Podcast.co
Photo in episode artwork by Trace Hudson