Cello
BM Eastman School of Music
MM Indiana University
COURSES TAUGHT:
Applied Cello
Chamber Music
CONTACT INFORMATION:
773-325-4369
About
Born in New York and raised in San Antonio, Brant Taylor began cello studies at the age of 8. His varied career includes solo appearances and collaborations with leading chamber musicians throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, as well as orchestral, pedagogical, and popular music activities.
After one year as a member of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Taylor was appointed to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by Daniel Barenboim in 1998. In Chicago, Mr. Taylor has performed recitals for the Dame Myra Hess Concerts (in live radio broadcasts), the First Monday concerts, Rush Hour Concerts at St. James, and the Ravinia Festival’s Rising Stars recital series. He appears regularly with the Chicago Chamber Musicians and on the contemporary chamber music series, MusicNow. The Chicago Tribune wrote of one performance, “The lush expanses of melody seemed to have been written for Taylor, who brought a throbbing lyricism, incisive attack and idiomatic characterization to the cello part.”
From 1992-97, Mr. Taylor was cellist of the award-winning Everest Quartet, prizewinners at the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition. The Quartet performed and taught extensively in North America and the Caribbean, and gave the world premiere performance of a work by Israeli-American composer Paul Schoenfield. Mr. Taylor has also been a member of the Whitney Trio since 1994; an ensemble dedicated to bringing chamber music to audiences of all ages in rural areas across the U.S.
At home in the world of pop music, Mr. Taylor performs with the band Pink Martini. With this eclectic 12-member ensemble, he has appeared on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and with the orchestras of Seattle, San Antonio, Utah, Milwaukee, Fort Worth, Austin, Charlotte, and Jacksonville.
Mr. Taylor he formerly served on the faculty of Roosevelt University. He is now a faculty member at DePaul University and Northwestern University’s National High School Music Institute. Mr. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Music and a Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. His Master of Music degree is from Indiana University. Mr. Taylor’s primary teachers have been Janos Starker and Paul Katz.
Photo is courtesy of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.