Get to know ZachWhat are you doing in school?
"I’m a senior at Towson University pursuing my Bachelor’s in Vocal Performance." How long have you been singing in choirs? "About 16 years now. I started singing cutesy songs in church choirs (as most do), and have done choir in some form every year since." What is your favorite musical memory? "Oof, this is tough. I think, for me, my favorite memory comes recently, when I performed in my first opera, Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. After I finished my second and final show as my principal role, Don Basilio, we went on stage for curtain call. Even though my role wasn’t super big, the applause I got once I stepped forward was just...incredible. I’d never felt that mixture of emotions before, not just that I had completed my first opera, but that I had such an incredible amount of people who were willing to come and support me. It was so incredibly special, and I’ll never forget the unique breathlessness that I felt afterwards." Do you have any special talents or interests outside of music? "I can do cartwheels kinda and I can almost say 'wow' like Owen Wilson. I also enjoy video games, playing ultimate frisbee with my boy T-RUST, acting, and screaming at inappropriate times." Who is your favorite composer? "I would have to say my man, Schubert. His music, across the board, is so incredibly composed, with an incredible amount of attention to detail throughout. He was also so prolific throughout his short life that it’s crazy to think what he’d have done had he lived to be older." Who's your favorite non-classical musical artist? Why? "This was tough at first, but I’d say Khalid. His voice is just so easy and effortless, and his music for me has applied to a bunch of different situations, from wanting to go nuts to chilling out to when I really need some emotional support. He’s my age, so I can’t wait to continue to grow up and see what else he does (and eventually see my first Khalid concert!)." What song have you not been able to stop listening to? "The entirety of Tyler the Creator's new album." If all of the appliances in your kitchen came to life, which would they elect as their leader? "The butcher's knife rules with an iron fist." What were you doing in the summer when you were in middle school? "Probably playing Club Penguin or something. I was a loser until I was 16." What’s your favorite sports team? "I'm all over the board. I've got the Washington Redskins, the Cincinnati Reds, the Jersey Devils, and, most importantly, the Utah Jazz." What's your favorite thing about singing in Lux? "Singing with people who have a fantastic sense of personal accountability and great musical ability. I really feel like I can just go to rehearsal and just sing. I don’t have to worry about the people around me holding their own, because they always do." If you could train your newly acquired falcon to steal only one dessert, which would it be? "Pints and pints of Ben & Jerry’s. Their ice cream is real good and they’re super woke." What's your favorite song that you've sung with Lux? "My favorite song I’ve done with Lux is probably Gjeilo’s Coventry Carol. It’s such an awesome setting of the classic carol, and I loved the progression of the piece. It’s so well done!" What's the most interesting fact about you? "If I get that I sound like or look like Josh Gad one more time, I’m going to lose my mind. So probably that. I also have the same name as the 12th president." |
Zach Taylor is entering his second season as a part of Lux. He is a senior at Towson University studying Vocal Performance, where he studies voice with tenor Dr. Min Jin. At Towson, he has sung with the University Chorale and Men’s Chorus, as well as their Music for the Stage program. He also sang as a part of Childrensong of New Jersey for five years, traveling with them on tours to Denver and Boston. Recently, he performed the role of Don Basilio in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and will be performing in an operatic production of The Three Little Pigs this fall and winter. He has had past experience in musical theatre as well, performing in musicals such as Oklahoma! (Jud Fry), The Addams Family (Uncle Fester), Peter Pan (Smee), The Drowsy Chaperone (Robert Martin), and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (William Barfée twice, Leaf Coneybear once) (Yes, three times!). He is also a brother of the music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia at Towson, serving as their music director, and also sings tenor one in the all-male chamber group Quorus, where he serves as their Outreach Coordinator.
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