Wilson Godfrey



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Journalism Story

Burnout Begone; How Saxophone Student Dae Taylor Found Joy By Branching Out

By Alex Lemon, Kevin Barrett and Wilson Godfrey

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Apr. 3, 2025)

Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University-Bloomington is one of the most prestigious music schools in the country, reserved for only the best high school musicians from around the world. The audition process is grueling, the workload is intense and burnout rates are high. However, Sophomore saxophone student Dae Taylor looks to be the exception as he is no stranger to the bright lights and center stage. From his start in middle school, through the enduring times of Covid-19 and now debuting concerto’s in college with his quartet, Dae has always been ready to put on a show.

Dae Taylor raises his eyebrows to try and strike the high note. This technique is used by saxophonists to open up their embouchure.

Dae has been exposed to saxophone his whole life, and chose the instrument because of his father, who he listened to practice saxophone growing up. As he started practicing and performing, Dae quickly realized that he not only loved to perform, but progress as a musician. This drive led him to Saxophone teacher Dana Booher, who has become his mentor. 

“I’d get to see him perform sometimes and it was always… super inspiring, you know? I want to play like him one day and see how far I can go.”

It was with his teacher that he found out what it meant to truly perform and influenced his drive to become an artist himself. However, Dae’s dream came to a screeching halt during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 “I went almost two years without performing live music,” Dae said. But instead of giving up, he looked towards the future, working towards that first performance back. Following this unexpected delay, Dae picked up exactly where he left off, loving saxophone the same, if not more. 

“It was just… A joy. A feeling like no other is really what I thought, especially in the moment,” Dae said. “It was a mundane performance in many ways, but in that way it’s really stuck with me. It made me realize again how passionate I am about performing and playing with other musicians.”

Following these performances, Dae made the decision to pursue saxophone performance at the highest level. He made it his goal to study under his teachers mentor, Dr. Otis Murphy at IU

To become the best version of an artist he could be, Dae knew that he would have to continue to develop all new styles which is what he has set out to do by branching out into many different types of performing, from solo work to quartets and also large chamber ensembles. For Dae, each one of these different types of performing allows him to reach into a different emotion and create something new each and every time. This has allowed him to avoid burnout and create a sense of joy in every opportunity, especially with his quartet, Hyperion.

The Hyperion Quartet rehearses for their Concerto debut. Written by a fellow undergrad, the quartet has found that rehearsing together makes them more confident for the performance.

 

 

 

“When I play with my quartet, I feel like it’s a conversation. You’re talking with these other musicians, you’re communicating and you’re really trying to create one cohesive texture and it’s always a great time… it’s very special.”

This feeling isn’t only a bright spot for Dae, but also other members of his quartet

“It’s nice to bring [a quartet] back to the studio and to have a quartet with some guys that were really good friends,” Hyperion quartet member Wyland Diehl said. “The vibe during the rehearsals their really good. We have some laughs, sometimes we get off topic but we’re able to lock in and get all our stuff done so it’s really nice.” 

Through the Hyperion quartet as well as Dae’s own artistic ability has made him a go-to undergraduate saxophonist for fellow undergraduate composers looking to debut new music, which has led to many opportunities for both Dae individually and the Hyperion quartet. These experiences at once in a lifetime performances help shape not only how he plays his saxophone, but how he looks at the notes on the page. 

“If I can get into the zone… really start feeling the music, I’m leaning into the phrases, [and] trying to make it more than just notes,” Dae said. 

Dae, however, is not only the performer, but is also active in the writing process. Dae has found a sense of excitement from getting to work with these composers and beamed at the idea of being apart of the editing process alongside each composer.

“That’s what I think is really fun about playing new music and working with living composers is that you can really get into the music with the person who wrote it,” Dae said.

From following in his mentors footsteps to now majoring in music performance, Dae has carved out a path and sound at IU that is truly his own.

Public Relations Story

Apple, the Last Watch You Will Ever Need

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts

Olivia Glasgow
Sam Bowlby
Wilson Godfrey

CUPERTINO, California (Sept. 9, 2014) – The Apple Watch is the first ever phone on your wrist. CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, introduced their new product on Thursday at De Anza College. “It is something functional, yet incredibly beautiful, it empowers people and enriches their lives. Apple Watch is the most personal device Apple has ever created,” Cook said. The device has several features that have never been seen before, such as a highly customizable interface, advanced fitness tracking, and an exceptionally durable design that is sure to last several years. Cook presented the many features of the Apple Watch to thunderous applause as many were excited to see Apple’s new product.

Apple describes the Apple Watch as one of the most personalized products to date. The clock, for example, has many different faces that can be customized and switched between. You can have a jellyfish swimming across your screen or see the solar system and their exact positions in real-time with the Astronomy face. Along with the time, there is other simple yet essential information, such as the weather, moon phases, and temperature, that can be customized as well.

The most revolutionary design feature of the Apple Watch is the Digital Crown. Not only does it keep the screen visible and clean, but it also makes zooming in and out, as well as precise adjustments, easy and clean. It also acts as the home button. Because of this, communication is easier than ever before. Quick board analyzes messages and provides fast messages you might want to send back. With Digital Touch, you can send personalized messages to another person, even your own heartbeat.

First Environmental Swimming
Professional Triathlete Caleb Royster uses the new Apple Watch to track his lap times. This displays one of the many functionalities of the Watch.

Apple Watch comes with several unique features that separate it from other products. The Watch provides haptic feedback, meaning you will be notified of anything on your watch via vibrations. It can also sense force, meaning it can differentiate between a tap and a press. A simple lift of the wrist and the watch can sense that you need to look at it, and just a swipe is all that is needed to navigate around the interface. It is also synchronized with the global time standard and accurate within a plus or minus 50-millisecond range.

“We think it’s going to help a lot of people live a better day and a healthier life,” Director of Health and Fitness Jay Blahnik talks about the Apple Watch’s new health-based apps, Fitness and Workout. Fitness provides three rings that you can complete and earn personal awards. The move ring tracks the calories burnt, the exercise ring tracks the amount of brisk activity, and the stand ring tells you when you should get up and move around. The Workout app can help keep track of specific exercises and more precise details, such as how far, fast, and long you have been doing an exercise.  Other health-based features of the Apple Watch include an accelerometer to measure total body movement, a sensor that tracks heart rate, and the watch uses GPS and Wi-Fi from your phone to record how far you have moved.

Apple Watch is made to be durable and comfortable for the user. With a flexible retina display laminated to a single crystal of sapphire, the watch is guaranteed to last through the harshest of summers to the coldest of winters. It also comes with 6 different band types that fit anyone’s liking.

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Student at Indiana University, Issac Bright, tracks his calories and steps while playing basketball. The Apple Watch is where performance meets technology.

Upon release, there will be three different watch collections: the Apple Watch, the Sports Watch, and the Edition Watch, each in sizes of 38mm (about 1.5 in) and 42mm (about 1.65 in). The Apple Watch is a polished case made from a custom alloy of stainless steel, the Sports Watch is a light and durable ion-exchange cover glass, and the Edition Watch is made of 18-karat gold.

Apple was proud and excited to release its revolutionary project to the world in early 2015, with over 200 million people able to access it. It will be sold for $349, and will be compatible with the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus, the iPhone 5, the iPhone 5c, and the iPhone 5s.

CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, builds suspense as he reveals Apple’s new digital watch. Vice president of technology at Apple Inc., Kevin Lynch, gives a demo of the Apple Watch, displaying its functionality. 

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