PETER TAYLOR
( B Mus., M Mus. – composition, Jazz)
Peter Taylor initiated the jazz choir movement in Canada while he taught at Carson Graham Secondary from 1974 - 1990. From 1980 until 1994 he also taught at Vancouver Community College where he started the first jazz choir at a post secondary institution in Canada. His ensembles at both secondary and post secondary levels received national and international acclaim. Currently Peter resides in Powell River. He is teaching for the school district, and is this year is on temporary sabbatical from directing his vocal jazz ensemble, SoundTrax. During the past ten years he has instructed at the Powell River Academy of Music and the Powell River Malaspina University College music program as well as teaching music at Max Cameron and Brooks Secondary schools.
Peter is an accomplished composer/arranger and is on the staff of UNC Jazz Press where a number of his arrangements are being published. Hal Leonard and Jenson Publications have also published Peter’s music. While Peter has written for many commercial ventures, most of his recent writing is for high school, university and professional ensembles for band and choir in both classical and jazz idiom. Another aspect of Peter’s music writing and performing can be heard on a recent project where he wrote music and created the special sound effects track for Henderson Elementary School’s video called Alphabet Road. Peter is in demand as an adjudicator/clinician/guest conductor throughout Canada and the United States. Career highlights include guest conductor/clinician at BCMEA and MENC conventions, conductor of the All Northwest Jazz Choir (USA), clinician for IAJE, (International Association of Jazz Educators) CMEA, (Canadian Music Educators)Music Fest Canada and choral arranger for the Calgary Winter Olympics. (Coca Cola World Chorus) Peter is co-founder of the BC Vocal Jazz Festival, Founder of the “SoundWave” Vocal Jazz Workshop, the “VCC Invitational Music Festival, Powell River’s “Vocal Summit”, president/founder of the “West Coast Jazz and Blues Society,” a board member of the Pacific Coast Music Festivals Association and he was an original board member of the Canadian Choral committee.
The ensembles, which Peter has directed have received many awards at regional, national and international levels. They have appeared as guest ensemble at national and international conferences and festivals and have performed with, or opened for such Jazz artists as Bobby McFerrin, the Hi-Lo’s, the Four Freshman, Mark Murphy, Ernestine Anderson, Diane Schuur, The Ritz, Dee Daniels, Louise Rose, the Real Group, Sunny Wilkinson, Just 4 Kicks, Fifth Avenue, the New York Voices and Mel Torme.