Dae Taylor

What are your post-graduation plans? 

I’m going to Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music to get a bachelors of music in saxophone performance.

How did you make your decision? 

It was kind of a two-step process for me. For a long time, I was really torn between music or science. I love both a lot. I think, over time, I’ve just gravitated more and more towards music. It was just a thing where I was afraid to go to it.

So I applied to engineering schools and to music schools and I got good options at both. And I pushed off the decision as long as I could. I eventually decided on music because I would have regrets about going the other way.  I think I owed it to myself to see how far I could take it, and to see what I could do with it, because I really do love it and it’s something I’m super passionate about.

I decided on IU Jacobs specifically because the professor there, Otis Murphy, is arguably the best saxophonist in the world. And he’s also a phenomenal professor. I got into IU and Northwestern for saxophone.  I wrote in an essay in freshman year that I wanted to go to IU to study saxophone with Otis Murphy, and so that’s why I ended up choosing IU. A lot of his students end up making it into military bands, which is what I want to do. 

How would you describe your post-grad search? 

There were times, probably like a year and a half ago, I would have said that I was leaning more toward engineering. I just wasn’t sure what I could do with music, but I learned a lot more about it, and how viable of an option it is.

What I envisioned myself being has always been a little bit uncertain. It was a scientist for a long time. It was an engineer, and it was a musician, and then it was an engineer. And now it’s back to musician.

What advice do you have? 

I’d say there are a lot of challenges that will come with music, a lot of challenges that I will have to face that anyone going into music has to face. Really think them over… but don’t let them discourage you from following your dreams. Don’t let them discourage you from following what you’re really passionate about. As long as you really maintain your love for what you’re doing, you’re going to find success.

My advice would be, don’t let any potential challenges in the field hold you back. As long as you’re prepared for them and you’re prepared to overcome them, then you’ll absolutely succeed at what you’re doing.

And as far as the auditions go… it’s annoying to deal with. But the more time you give yourself to prepare the music, then the better off you’ll be. I’d say just practice auditioning. Practice playing for other people.