Amber Taylor

Amber Taylor joined the Atlanta Music Project in 2018 as a Vocal Teaching Artist, where she taught private lessons to voice students in the AMP Academy. The AMP Academy is a merit-based program, providing individual music instruction to AMP's most talented and dedicated students. Amber eventually took on a full-time position leading the AMP Academy. Today, Amber is Associate Director of the AMP Academy, which now serves 75 students. We sat down with Amber to get her thoughts on her time at AMP leading the AMP Academy.

When did you decide to pursue music as a career?

My career started a few years after obtaining my music degree from Mount Holyoke College, but I think I was always ignited by music during my time in high school. Being involved in chorus, the school musicals, and competing in solo & ensemble was just so exciting and I knew then regardless of where life took me, I didn't want to have a life that was void of music.

What are some of your favorite aspects about working at AMP?

I enjoy learning the stories of the students that come to us and the beginnings of their interest in music. I've had the privilege to speak with families whose child had never heard of the instrument they're currently playing until they came to us and I get to watch the passion for the instrument unfold through private study and within their participation in AMP ensembles. I love seeing how music is used as a tool to build and cultivate community and appreciate how AMP examines how to further cultivate community by actively assessing and reassessing the needs of current students. AMP recognizes that the most impactful musician learns best when they're in an environment that is both affirming and artistically rigourous. 

Why is the AMP Academy such a valuable opportunity for AMP students?

AMP Academy allots time for students to further discover their individual artistic voice and gives them the confidence to return to their ensembles and go after the solos or principal seats. AMP students are garnered the opportunity to dig deeper in understanding the foundational technique.

For students interested in pursuing music as a career, AMP Academy allows students the opportunity to work with active professional musicians that offer a scope of the current landscape of the music industry and get best practices for how to have a thriving music career.

In your experience, what is the best way for an AMP student to prepare for a solo performance or audition? 

I am a big proponent of researching pieces as they're being studied in lessons. By looking at music from both a space of query and practice, you're able to have performances that are both impactful and passion driven. Methods can range from watching professional musicians perform the piece to examine what artistic and technical choices were made to inspire students' own playing, studying the musical period in which the piece was composed, to marking up the music by circling dynamics or notable moments between the soloist and collaborative pianist if the piece has accompaniment. A strong performance or audition is one that is intentional and demonstrates a clear understanding of technique and artistic expression.

What are your hopes and aspirations for students in the AMP Academy?

My goal is for students in AMP Academy to have a diversity of performance and instructional experiences that give them a greater appreciation and discipline for their craft. Whether it's a masterclass with an award winning musician or a young artist competition, my goal is to offer students resources that garner them the confidence and insight to know what opportunities are possible.