Taylor Long

Taylor Michael Long born May 10, 1991 (age 19) in Halifax, NS, Canada, is a lyric baritone. Long currently lives in Halifax, and is entering his second year of undergrad opera studies at Dalhousie University.
Biography
Long was born with Congenital Bilateral Fibular Hemimelia, a condition resulting in the absence of the fibula bone in both legs. His feet were both amputated before the age of two at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Montreal, QC, and he now walks with the aid of two artificial legs. Long currently acts as a senior counsellor with the War Amputations of Canada, and was also recently inaugurated at a ceremony in Toronto as 2010 Patient Ambassador for Shriners Hospitals for Children.
In a pursuit to overcome physical challenges, Long began riding horses in the fall of 2000 with the Halifax Area Leisure & Therapeutic Riding Program (HALTR). He began jumping on horseback in 2001 when he was accepted into the Halifax Junior Bengal Lancers riding program. Competitive riding began for Long in 2005, when he was assessed by Canada's National Paralympic Coach, Mary Longden as having great potential to represent Canada in future Paralympics. He began training in Dressage at the Atlantic Dressage Development Centre (ADDC) in Mt. Uniacke, under the coaching of Michelle LaBarre. Long continued to train and compete in Dressage, was one of four Canadians invited to a dressage training camp in Vancouver, BC in 2006, and competed in the International Lendon Gray Dressage Festival in 2007 in Saugerties, NY. He's currently taking a break from riding to focus on university studies, but plans to return in the near future.
Long only recently made his debut on stage as Hortensio in Halifax West High School's, Kiss Me, Kate in May 2008. He hasstudied with Neptune Theatre's Youth Performance Company in August 2008, and performed the role of Marius, in Les Misérables with the company in December 2008. His interest in music led him to pursue post secondary studies, and he was accepted into Dalhousie University's voice program where he currently studies with Professor Lucy Hayes Davis"
Recent operatic roles include Marco in Dalhousie Opera Workshop's production of Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, and Elder Ott in Halifax Summer Opera Workshop's production of Susannah by Carlisle Floyd. Combined that mean he has had four solo lines in two operas
Performance Experience
* Elder Ott, Susannah (Floyd), Halifax Summer Opera Workshop, 2010
* Marco, Gianni Schicchi (Puccini), Dalhousie University, 2010
* J. Pierrepont Finch, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Loesser), Halifax West High School, 2009
* Marius, Les Misérables (Schönberg), Neptune Theatre's YPCo, 2008
* Hortensio, Kiss Me, Kate (Porter), Halifax West High School, 2008
Education
* Dalhousie University: Presently pursuing a Bachelor of Music: Voice Performance
* Teachers: Lucy Hayes Davis (2010-Present), Susan Boddie (2009)
* Coaches: Gregory Myra
* Music Directors: Tara Scott, Dean Bradshaw, Stephanie McKeown
* Artistic Directors: Nina Scott-Stoddart, Lorraine Cantwell, Mary Lou Martin
* Masterclasses: Lorna MacDonald, Marcia Swanston, Malcolm Balk (2010), David Connolly (2009)
 
< Prev   Next >