Naz alumna and elementary band director honored for enabling more students to play

By raising money and resources to enable more students with limited family finances to play a music instrument, Heather Taylor ‘08, ‘12G has built the largest elementary band program among the Greece Central School District’s 18 schools. Her commitment and work have garnered multiple awards. 

Among the latest: the 2021-2022 Dr. William P. Foster Project Community Development Award, a national recognition of quality band programs, teaching excellence, and community impact in historically underserved communities. Traditionally awarded to secondary teachers, Taylor was the only elementary music teacher awarded this year.

Taylor, band director at Lakeshore Elementary School, knew she wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember. “I loved school. It was something that came easy to me and that I was good at! I would come home and teach my younger siblings everything that I learned every day. I slowly started to realize that I wanted to be a music teacher during middle and high school,” said Taylor. She was also inspired by her band teachers, Lorraine Jones and Holly Manaseri ’88. “I had some difficulties and struggles in my personal life and my music teachers went out of their way to make sure I was noticed, cared for, given opportunities, etc. It made a huge difference in my life and I hope to make the same impact on my students now that I am a music teacher,” she added. 

Taylor has been teaching for 13 years. Lakeshore is a Title I school and in a low-income area, and Taylor finds students can’t afford the costs of rentals, accessories, lesson books, and maintenance/repairs — which she understands from personal experience. “Part of my struggles in middle and high school was that I grew up in a low-socioeconomic family/community. Early on I learned the value of hard work and getting an education. I don’t ever want finances to be a barrier for any of my students to participate in music,” Taylor said. Given school budget cycles, “getting new instruments and/or supplies can take years using traditional avenues.” For this reason, Taylor started asking for donations and writing grants. During the past four years, she got donations of more than 20 new and used woodwind and brass band instruments, new percussion equipment, and over $15,000 worth of music accessories and classroom supplies for her program and her students. She said she is completely overwhelmed by the generosity of people who support the arts.

Lakeshore’s band now has 120 to 140 fourth and fifth grade students per year. The program’s success has enabled Taylor to showcase her young musicians by playing the national anthem every spring at Red Wings game at Frontier Field, one of their biggest and most important performances. Her students are also so excited and recall this memory even years later. Other performances they have been a part of are concerts, holiday instrument caroling, school announcements, local district events, and more. She feels very fortunate that her program has thrived pre-COVID and through the pandemic. “During the pandemic, I had to teach students to play an instrument virtually. It was literally the hardest thing I have ever done in my career! In a time when everything is difficult and there are so many restrictions, it would be so easy for any of my students to just quit. I am so happy that they all wanted to continue to make music with me, even online,” she said. Taylor and her students persevered and were finally able to have their first official concert in more than two years in December 2021. “I am so beyond proud of their bravery, courage, and dedication.”

Taylor’s advice and encouragement to current Nazareth music education students is to not be afraid to ask for help. “Observe your colleagues, go to music conferences, write grants, contact music companies, etc. There are so many people who are willing and want to help the arts,” she said. As a guest lecturer at Naz, Taylor shares how she has networked among the schools she worked at, musicals she has been hired to play, subbing opportunities, extra-curricular activities, and more. She has built many professional and personal relationships with colleagues, donors, and music businesses. Taylor also shares how she has used social media (@BandatLakeshore on Twitter) to invite support for her band program and to showcase all the talent and good happening in her classroom. 

Additional Recognition

• Terry Taylor scholarship, a county award that recognizes a young music educator with the potential for greatness
• Named the runner up for 2020 Educator of the Year Award by Edincites, an educational technology company 
• Featured on the “Elvis Duran Morning Radio Show” as a recipient of the BIC Write4Teachers campaign 
• “Excellence in Teaching” award from Nazareth College Music Department
• Eastern Division recipient of the 2021-2022 William P. Foster Community Development Award — nominated by a fellow Nazareth music alum, Aubrey DiNorma ‘07
• Yamaha 40 Under 40 award recipient, February 2022. Yamaha has selected 40 exceptional music educators under the age of 40 possessing action, courage, creativity, and growth characteristics while going above and beyond when instructing music programs.

Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.

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• published: 2022 March
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