Meet the Directors

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Matthew Taylor

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Rachel Smith

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Mr. Taylor grew up in a small town in Nederland, TX where he sang in the choirs at school and at church, played football, went fishing, and generally enjoyed a small town childhood in East Texas.  After graduating from Nederland High School as an All-Stater, Mr. Taylor went on to study voice, conducting, composition, and performance at Westminster Choir College where he sang under and studied with the greatest minds in music education with frequent performances at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.  Graduating from        Westminster led to a 15 year career as a professional singer, actor, and dancer.  Though a great experience, education was where his heart lies and he followed that to Oklahoma State where he worked under esteemed composer and conductor Dr. Z. Randall Stroope earning him a Master of Music in Choral Conducting and Voice Pedagogy.  
Mr. Taylor has worked as a photographer, waiter, dancer, choral clinician, voice teacher, and so many other strange things, but after years of travel all of that has lead him to Clear Creek High School, where he is so happy to finally be home.

Mrs. Smith grew up in San Marcos, TX and started out as a band kid who loved to sing and dance.  She found her way into the choir room eventually, and attended Southwestern University where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in Music Education.  After graduation she entered the classroom as an elementary music teacher, then moved up through the grade levels as first a junior high and then high school choir director.  She and her husband live in League City with their two boys, two cats, and a dog.  Mrs. Smith is entering her third year at Clear Creek High School and is so excited to be a part of this outstanding program.