Dr. Robert Taylor
Founder & Director
Taylor Music Group, Taylor Festival Choir
Dr. Robert Taylor
Founder, Director
Taylor Music Group, Taylor Festival Choir
Dr. Robert Taylor is the Director of Choral Activities at the College of Charleston, the Founding Artistic Director and President of the Taylor Festival Choir (TFC) and Taylor Music Group (TMG), and the Director of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Singers. Called a “rising star in the international choral scene” and a "true master of his craft" (Charleston City Paper), Taylor’s choirs have been described as sounding "more musical than would seem possible" (Charleston Post and Courier), and have received numerous plaudits from critics and choral specialists for their technical proficiency, musicality and beautiful sound production. Taylor's ensembles have performed throughout the United States and Europe. They have been featured in numerous festivals, conventions and special concerts, including the 2005 and 2009 American Choral Directors (ACDA) National Conventions, the 2008 and 2011 National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conventions, and multiple appearances in regional and state ACDA and AGO conventions. Taylor and his combined choirs performed with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra in a feature concert in the 2013 National Collegiate Choral Organization National Convention. Taylor's groups also appear annually in the prestigious Spoleto Festival U.S.A. and Piccolo Spoleto Festival.
Dr. Taylor's professional ensemble, the Taylor Festival Choir (TFC), has been hailed by critics and choral specialists alike as being one of the nation’s finest. Performing a full season of concerts in the Charleston area, TFC also has toured throughout the USA and Ireland and has recorded with Delos Recordings, Centaur Records, and MSR Classics. TFC’s recent release was on the Grammy ballot, and featured the world premiere recording of Celtic Mass by Michael McGlynn, alongside Mass by James MacMillan, a performance described as “very impressive indeed….many will be drawn to this (recording) simply because of the intensity Taylor brings to his readings, and the way his choir responds with such potent empathy for the music.” (Musicweb International – London).
Taylor has conducted more than 50 major choral/orchestral works to critical acclaim, his interpretations of modern works and the works of Ralph Vaughan Williams being especially praised. His recording of Vaughan Williams' Epithalamion and An Oxford Elegy was hailed as "a highly accomplished performance," one in which "his forces capture [Vaughan Williams' score's] ebb and flow perfectly" (American Record Guide).
With the CSO Chorus, he has prepared numerous choral/orchestral masterworks for performances with prestigious conductors such as the late David Stahl, Dr. Joseph Flummerfelt, Ken Lam, Louis Solemno, Dr. Kenneth Fulton, Dr. Joe Miller, JoAnn Faletta and Stuart Molina,. As Director of Choral Activities at the College of Charleston, Dr. Taylor oversees all choral studies and endeavors, including leading the acclaimed Concert Choir, the Madrigal Singers, and directing the choral strand of the College of Charleston's Master of Arts in Teaching in the Performing Arts degree. He serves as editor of the Robert Taylor Choral Series with Colla Voce Publications, and is an avid lover and arranger of Irish traditional music. Along with his wife, violinist/Irish fiddler Mary Taylor, Taylor coordinates the Celtic Arts Series (formerly the Taylor Music Festival) in Piccolo Spoleto: a series of concerts and workshops emphasizing musical education and performance in both classical and Celtic/folk disciplines. Deeply involved in Piccolo Spoleto and with the Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, Taylor was recently awarded the Piccolo Spoleto Lifetime Achievement Award.
Where did you do your musical training?
I have a DMA in Choral Conducting, with minors in musicology and voice science from Louisiana State University (primary mentor being Ken Fulton; a MM in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Sam Houston State University; and a BME from the University of Central Arkansas.
When did you first start performing with the TFC?
We started TFC in 2001 with the help of my Mom, Janelle Tinnell, and my dad’s best friend Gene Fortson. What a dream come true.
What is your all-time favorite choral work?
The Bach B-minor Mass is not only my favorite, but for my money the greatest single musical composition ever.
Where do you live now? And where do you call “home”?
My wife and I settled in Charleston in 1998 and have never left. We raised our daughter Kiri here. We love Charleston. That said, you can take the boy out of Arkansas, but you can never take Arkansas out of the boy. Arkansas will always be “home.”
What is your favorite hobby outside of music?
Golf. I “used to be” a competitive golfer in another lifetime. Reading–particularly historical fiction, fantasy, and the classics. I love working out. I love sports. I follow politics–probably too much. I am a HUGE dog lover. I have come to love cooking. Above all, I love spending time with the two most important girls in my life, Mary and Kiri. I am happy just watching the Food Channel with Mary for hours on end.
Who is your favorite singer?
Easy. Jussi Björling, the greatest of the them all, and Kiri Te Kanawa, after whom I named my daughter!
Who is your favorite actor?
This is tough. I can’t narrow down to one. Here’s some: Emily Blunt, Jennifer Lawrence, Sophie Marceau, Michelle Jenner, Alia Bhatt; Ian McKellen, Kit Harington, Eddie Redmayne, Cillian Murphy, and Liam Neeson.
Make me name ONE and it’s probably JLaw. She’s a genius.
Favorite movie or play?
Lord of the Rings. All three.
What is your favorite meal?
Vegetable/cheese enchiladas with mole sauce.
Who is your favorite sports team?
There is no bigger fan of the Arkansas Razorbacks on EARTH. Wooooooooooo PiG! Soooooooie!!!
Do you have a favorite TFC or “singing with Rob” anecdote?
Well, I am of course Rob. I can’t imagine what its like to sing with me. I will say I am a child at heart, and every time I am with the TFC, I feel like my deceased Mom and Dad are present, giving me and their granddaughter Kiri a huge hug. Time spent with the TFC making music or just hanging is like spending time with a personalized version of my parent’s legacy. It's hard to explain. But very rewarding. Plus–I just love the singers in the TFC. Love being with them. Period.