Tenor Derek Taylor was born in Los Angeles, CA and trained at the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA), where he garnered rave reviews as Rodolfo in their 2005 production of La bohème. Michael Caruso, writing for the ChestnutHillLocal.com, reported on that occasion: "AVA seems to have found the key to producing excellent young tenors...It was Derek Taylor’s turn Sunday night as Rodolfo...Blessed with remarkable good looks, Taylor also possesses a naturally beautiful timbre that’s clear and unforced, a sure feel for the dramatic arch of the vocal line, excellent Italian diction and a focused dramatic flair that projects the essence of the role without fuss or affectation."

The 2007-2008 season brings Mr. Taylor to the LA Opera as Cassio in Otello, to the Boston Lyric Opera and the Phoenix Metropolitan Opera as Rodolfo in La boheme, to St Gallen for his debut as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, and to Honolulu as the Tenor in A Little Night Music. Future engagements include his debuts with the St.Louis Opera Festival and the Virginia Opera as Rodolfo in La boheme, and his return to St. Gallen as Alfredo in La traviata and as Camille in Die lustige Witwe.

In 2006-2007 Mr. Taylor made his return to Santa Fe as Antonio in the American premiere of Thomas Ades’ opera The Tempest, which was followed by debuts with Opera Grand Rapids as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, the same role with Austin Lyric Opera, and his debut with the Los Angeles Opera as Toby Higgins in Mahagonny. He closes the season as Michele in The Saint of Bleecker Street with Central City Opera. Future seasons bring Mr. Taylor to the LA Opera as Cassio in Otello, to the Boston Lyric Opera and the Phoenix Metropolitan Opera and Central City Opera as Rodolfo in La bohème, to St. Gallen for his debut as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, and a debut at the St. Louis Opera Festival as Rodolfo.

Mr. Taylor’s 2005-2006 season began with performances as Rodolfo in La boheme for both El Paso Opera and Manitoba Opera. Mr. Taylor’s season concluded with his debut as Tamino in Mozart’s Zauberflöte for Palm Beach Opera, followed by performances of Rodolfo for Baltimore Opera.

During his 2004-2005 season, Mr. Taylor made his debut with Opera Illinois as Alfredo in La Traviata. The 2003-2004 season included performances of the role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera New Hampshire, and Di Capo Opera Theatre, the title role in Les Contes D’Hoffmann with the International Vocal Arts Institute in Israel, Normanno in Lucia di Lammermoor with Portland Opera, and the role Accuser in the world premiere of Bright Sheng’s Madame Mao with the Santa Fe Opera. Other roles have included the title role in Gounod’s Faust, Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, and Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, all with the Academy of Vocal Arts. Mr. Taylor has also performed the role of Alfred in Die Fledermaus, the Italian Singer in Der Rosenkavalier, and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni. On the concert stage, Mr. Taylor has sung excerpts from Carmen and La boheme in A Night at the Opera with Maestro Paul Nadler and the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. Also during the 2003-04 season, he appeared as a featured soloist with the New Israeli Philharmonic, Connecticut Symphony, and the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra, and Peter Nero and the Philadelphia Pops. He has been the tenor soloist in such works as Vaughn Williams Hodie with the Bermuda Philharmonic, Mozart’s Requiem and Beethoven’s Mass in C, both with the CalArts Symphony, and most recently, in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, with the American Symphony Orchestra in Los Angeles. He was also a featured artist in the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation 30th Anniversary Concert at Alice Tully Hall.

During the 2004-2005 season, Mr. Taylor won high praise on the competition circuit. He was the First Prize Winner of the 2004 Liederkranz Competition and a Major Award Winner of the 2004 Opera Index Competition, was most recently awarded Third Prize in 2005 Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation International Voice Competition and won Second Prize in the Florida Grand Opera Competition. He is also the recipient of awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Regional Finalist), George London Music Foundation (Encouragement Grant Winner), Alta/Mura Caruso Foundation (Winner), and the Sergio Franchi Music Foundation (Winner).

For more information please visit Derek's website- www.derektaylor.org.

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