Melanie Taylor is a seasoned musical performer and teacher with 20+ years of stage and studio experience.

Stage Productions

Melanie has performed numerous roles in opera and musical theatre productions including Mrs. Ham in Noye’s Fludde with the New Orleans Opera, the title role in Suor Angelica with Operafestival di Roma, Psyche in Alex in Transition (World Premiere) with New Fangled Opera, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus and Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd at The University of Southern Mississippi, Maria Elena Holly in Buddy, the Buddy Holly Story, Sister Berthe in The Sound of Music, and Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast with the Hattiesburg Civic Light Opera, and Aquata in The Little Mermaid with Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts. She wrote and starred in her one-woman show Over the Rainbow, A Tribute to Judy Garland,  performing at the Natchez Festival of Music and with Opera Mississippi. Melanie was mostly recently seen on stage in Cirque du Horror as part of the Denton Day of the Dead Festival.

Solo & Chorus Performances

Melanie has performed as a featured soloist in multiple stage productions including the New Orleans Opera Association’s Opera on Tap, Jubilee Entertainment Theatre’s A Night at the Opera, Opera Mississippi’s Opera Virtuale, the New Orleans Volunteer Orchestra’s Bohemian Rhapsody, the Natchez Festival of Music’s Valentine’s Day Gala, the University of Mobile’s A Jazz Band Christmas, The University of Southern Mississippi’s Centennial Arts Gala, Hattiesburg Civic Light Opera’s 100 Years of Broadway and the Season Announcement Party for Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts. Melanie has also performed as a professional chorister with the New Orleans Opera, Mississippi Opera, the Natchez Festival of Music, and FestivalSouth. Her most recent solo recital, El amor de una mujer, was performed in Denton and featured music by living female composers, including Fort Worth artist Mari Esabel Valverde. She has also recently performed with North Texas Opera on Tap.

Bands

Melanie fronted her own jazz quintet in New Orleans for over 6 years, performing regularly on Frenchmen Street and in other major music venues around the city. Melanie was also a member of The Asylum Chorus in New Orleans, performing with the group at Voodoo Fest, French Quarter Fest, Preservation Hall, and the Louisiana State Museum. With The Asylum Chorus, Melanie recorded two albums, both available on Spotify, releasing the albums with live performances at the 3 Keys in the Ace Hotel, the Louisiana Music Factory, and on live radio with WWOZ New Orleans. She was also featured with The Asylum Chorus on Bedouin Soundclash’s album Mass, produced by King Britt. Melanie recorded two music videos with The Asylum Chorus. Melanie also sang with Marina Orchestra, performing at venues around the city and the New Orleans Rock N Roll Marathon. In the DFW area, Melanie has performed with big bands Swinganova and the David Pierce Orchestra.

Education

Melanie holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Mobile and a Master of Music (MM) degree in Vocal Performance from The University of Southern Mississippi. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages, which included an exchange year abroad at the University of Bonn in Germany.

Music Direction & Teaching

Melanie served as music and vocal director for several children's musicals including The Wizard of Oz Jr., Shrek the Musical Jr., Bye Bye Birdie Jr., and The Little Mermaid Jr. In New Orleans, she taught private voice lessons and musical theatre classes to kids and teens at Encore Studio of Dance, Tumbling, Music, and Theatre and Creating U Modeling & Talent Agency. Melanie also worked as a musical theatre summer camp counselor for the Encore Musical Theatre Camp and Broadway Baby Summer Camp, as well as The University of Southern Mississippi’s Midsummer Musical Theatre Experience, directing and coaching kids and teens ages 4 to 18.

Melanie served as a graduate teaching assistant at The University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Mobile, teaching voice lessons and aural skills courses. She has been teaching in her own private studio for over 15 years, working with students of all ages and skill levels.

Honors & Awards

Melanie was named a Semifinalst in the National WWII Museum Stage Door Idol Competition, an Alternate in the Shreveport Opera Singer of the Year Competition, and a Semifinalist in the National Classical Singer Competition. She was granted a spot in the prestigious opera studio of the International Performing Arts Institute in Kiefersfelden, Germany, and a President’s Grant from The University of Southern Mississippi for her participation in Operafestival di Roma. With The Asylum Chorus, Melanie received the Threadhead Cultural Foundation Grant, which the band used to fund their second album.