Dr. Taylor Assad is an active member of the professional saxophone community and has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in France, Scotland, Croatia, and all over the United States. As an advocate for new music, she has premiered works for solo saxophone, saxophone and live electronics, saxophone and fixed media, saxophone duo, chamber ensemble, and saxophone quartet. Her work in the commissioning of various compositional projects led to her dissertation: “Insights into the Collaborative Process between Electronic Music Composers and Commissioning Saxophonists.”

She has performed at the Electric LaTex Festival, the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival, New Music DePaul, the Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National Conference, the International Music by Women Festival, at North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial and Regional Conferences, and at the World Saxophone Congress. She has also performed in several orchestras including the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and the Ocala Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with the New Orleans Chamber Players, mostly comprised of musicians from the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

Taylor holds the alto chair in professional saxophone quartet Quartetto Obrigado, which was formed in 2013. Obrigado has performed internationally and across the United States and regularly collaborates with Grammy-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis. The ensemble also regularly plays at regional and community performances including for the Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless, Regional Arts Council of Zachary, Friends of Slidell Library, City of Covington Sunset at the Landing Concert Series, the Bubba Dove Foundation, Holiday Performance for families displaced by Hurricane Ida, and at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Slidell. They also perform at North American Saxophone Alliance conferences and have recorded at the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music.

Taylor also performs with Minos the Saint, an eclectic chamber-folk ensemble run by Ben Herrington and Peter Simon. Taylor sings on their most recent album Atchafalaya Child. She has performed with the band since 2018 and toured with the group on their east coast tour in 2019. Minos the Saint will perform at Jazz Fest on April 27, 2024. As a jazz musician, Taylor has performed with the Harry James Jazz Orchestra and the Four Tops. She served as the East Baton Rouge All-Parish Honor Jazz Middle School Guest Clinician in 2023 and will conduct the Louisiana Bandmasters Association High School Jazz Ensemble in the summer of 2024. She also serves on the board for the Louisiana Association for Jazz Educators (LAJE).

For seven years, Taylor taught at Nicholls State University as professor of saxophone, flute, and director of the jazz ensemble. Previously, she held positions as Music Director of Westdale Middle School and Associate Director of Bands at Louisiana State University’s Laboratory School. Taylor has taught private saxophone lessons since 2010, with many of her students being selected for Louisiana Music Educators Association’s All-State Symphonic, Concert, and Jazz Bands. She has taught groups across Louisiana, in New Mexico, and also in Florida for students and for music educators. Taylor has degrees in Music Education, Music Performance, and in Arts Administration from Louisiana State University and the University of Florida.

Taylor is a Vandoren Artist-Clinician and a Selmer Paris Performing Artist.