Saxophonist Rhonda Taylor (b. 1976) is dedicated to the creation and performance of meaningful sonic art of our time. She has worked with a variety of today’s most outstanding composers, including Bernard Rands, Robert Morris, Jeffrey Mumford, and Robert Lemay. She has also commissioned and premiered works by such emerging composers as Rick Burkhardt, Avi Tchamni, Justin Rubin, Chris Arrell, Ben Carson, and Jon Forshee. Her recent activities include presenting a recital of late 20th century solo saxophone works at Spivey Hall in Atlanta, lecture recitals on Gérard Grisey’s Anubis et Nout at institutions in the U.S. and abroad, solo performances at NASA Biennials, World Saxophone Congresses, and at new music festivals throughout the United States. Upcoming projects include the release of her next solo CD in spring of 2012, and she is currently working closely with Guggenheim Award winning composer Steven Takasugi on a new work for solo saxophonist and electronics to be premiered in 2013. Her primary teachers were Kelland Thomas at the University of Arizona and John Sampen at Bowling Green State University. She also studied with Jean-Marie Londeix and Jean-François Guay at Domaine Forget, and with Arno Bornkamp, Jean-Michel Goury, and Kenneth Radnofsky at the International Clarinet and Saxophone Connection at New England Conservatory. Dr. Taylor has been on faculty at New Mexico State University since 2003, where she is the College Assistant Professor of Saxophone and Music Theory. Rhonda Taylor is a Conn-Selmer artist and plays on Selmer Paris saxophones exclusively.
From a recent NASA Update reviewing the 2011 NASA Region 2 Conference at UNLV, written by Allison Dromgold: "There were many fine performances throughout the weekend, but some really exceptional musicianship stood out in the performances of the PRISM Quartet and Rhonda Taylor...Rhonda Taylor also blew the audience away, performing SPP by Philippe Leroux with flawless technique and incredible control."
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