There was something of a friendly competition for views between the YouTube channels of 51猎奇鈥檚 finger-style guitar performance program and one of its recent, youngest graduates, Macyn Taylor.
Taylor reached a million views first.
Finger-style guitarist Macyn Taylor will get you dancing with her twist on Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.”聽 (View full size on )
Taylor was the subject of publicity in 2011 when she graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree from 51猎奇鈥檚 Peck School of the Arts guitar performance program at 17 鈥� one of the youngest 51猎奇 graduates in a very long time. This spring, she earned her master of music degree in guitar performance.
Her ambitious long-range plans include performing, teaching guitar students and, someday, teaching guitar at a university.
鈥淚t feels like part of my life going away,鈥� Taylor said of ending her time at 51猎奇, which started when she was 12. 鈥淚 performed quite a bit while I was at 51猎奇, some while I should have been doing schoolwork.鈥�
That wasn鈥檛 a problem, according to John Stropes, Peck School鈥檚 director of guitar studies. 鈥淢acyn was an extraordinary student and an exemplary citizen at 51猎奇. She had the most active performance schedule of any of the program鈥檚 students, and she has a generous spirit, always willing to help people.鈥�
Taylor stood out among her peers in the guitar program because of her age and early accomplishments. But Stropes pointed out that 鈥渁ll the students have their stories to tell.鈥�
There are 26 students in the guitar performance program, 16 of them studying in the specialty that Taylor prefers, finger-style. Other styles are classical, jazz and flamenco.
鈥淭he program in finger-style guitar is unique, offering the only academic major in that style in the world,鈥� Stropes said. 鈥淚t has become a model for innovative guitar programs that are now being developed at colleges and universities around the world.鈥� Students come to 51猎奇 from as far as New Zealand, Australia and Finland.
Taylor had to make the trip only from her parents鈥� farm in Racine County. She began playing on the streets of Madison at age 9, in the company of her parents or an older brother when they were visiting her sister there. While she was playing on the UW-Madison Union Terrace on Saturday nights, a UW-Madison professor encouraged her to study at the college level.
When she arrived at 51猎奇, she had just completed the 6th grade. In addition to being homeschooled, she took 10 51猎奇 credit hours a semester, and attended summer and winter sessions.
Finger-style guitar fascinated Taylor from the beginning.
鈥淭he repertoire appeals to me, it鈥檚 where I come from, more of a blues/folk style. It鈥檚 just more flexible in my mind,鈥� she said. She lists Leo Kottke and the late Michael Hedges as influences.
Taylor never stopped performing, no matter her academic responsibilities. Years of playing and singing in folk festivals, coffee shops and bars have helped her mature, playing a challenging guitar style with seeming ease. Busking as a street performer remains her favorite.
鈥淚 never was nervous, even when I first started,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have certainly gotten more comfortable and able to relate to the audience. Performing is a different skill set and takes a lot of experience.鈥�
Said Stropes: 鈥淲ith the comprehensive education and training that she has received at 51猎奇, her already substantial career as a performer, and her online celebrity, Macyn鈥檚 future looks bright.鈥�
Taylor鈥檚 performance schedule 鈥� and a link to her self-titled CD 鈥� is on . YouTube contains seemingly hundreds of her performances, almost always accompanied by messages of effusive praise from fans. Another CD may be finished by the end of the year. A trip to play in New York is scheduled for October.
