Sam Taylor

     Samuel Allen Taylor is the newest member of the artist/faculty of the Salem College School of Music, and this year inaugurates the Bachelor of Music program with a concentration in Classical Guitar. He enjoys a multifaceted career as guitarist, composer, and teacher, concertizing as soloist and chamber musician, as well as creating new musical works that synthesize electronic and acoustic media. 

     Mr. Taylor studied classical guitar and pedagogy with Aaron Shearer and John Michael Parris, and has participated in masterclasses with David Starobin, David Tannenbaum, Maunuel Barrueco, and William Anderson. His composition studies were with Kenneth Frazelle and Michael Rothkopf , and included workshops with Mario Davidovsky and Arthur Krieger. He holds the B.M. in Guitar Performance, and the M.M. in Composition with an emphasis in Electronic Music, both from the North Carolina School of the Arts. 

     Mr. Taylor's teaching philosophy expands upon the innovative ideas of Aaron Shearer, stressing mental clarity, visualization, and deliberate practice methods; seeking to hone the students’ ability to concentrate simultaneously with building efficient physical dexterity and interpretive finesse.