Faculty Profiles
Curtis Taylor
Lecturer, Jazz Studies
Photo credit: Robert Sanchez
Professor of Jazz Studies William Menefield, and Associate Professor of Instruction James Dreier. I also appreciated the guest artist collaboration with pianist Benny Green in April. I performed, and Associate Professor Damani Phillips was the director. The first Jazz Repertory Ensemble concert of the semester last October is also a favorite memory. Q: What has surprised you most about your time at Iowa so far? A: How supportive my colleagues are of one another.
Q: What types of courses did you teach this past year? A: I taught the Jazz Repertory Ensemble, the Gold Jazz Combo, the Black Jazz Combo, Jazz History, Jazz Theory, and, of course, I taught private lessons in jazz trumpet. Q: What did you enjoy most about teaching over the past year? A: The growth of the students in my ensembles and the classroom culture and rapport I was able to develop with my students. Q: What’s a favorite memory of your time at the School of Music so far? A: It’s hard to pick just one. I enjoyed the guest artist collaboration with vocalist Christie Dashiell in November. The concert included me, Assistant
Q: What and where did you study before coming to the University of Iowa? A: I have a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from Michigan State University and an MA in Jazz History and Research from Rutgers University. Before joining the University of Iowa School of Music, I was teaching as a part-time lecturer for California State University San Marcos in San Marcos, CA. I am a trumpeter, performer, composer, recording artist, and educator. Q: What brought you to the School of Music? A: Our jazz area chair Dr. Damani Phillips reached out, presented the opportunity, and the rest is history as of Fall 2021.
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