J. Taylor Hightower

Dr. J. Taylor Hightower serves as an Associate Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, specializing in Voice and Vocal Literature instruction for undergraduate and graduate students through voice lessons and Vocal Literature I/II courses.

His educational background includes:

• Doctor of Music (DM) in Voice Performance with minors in College Pedagogy and Music History from Indiana University-Bloomington (2004)
• Master of Music (MM) in Voice Performance from Indiana University-Bloomington (2001)
• Bachelor of Music (BM) in Voice Performance from Furman University (1996)

His creative scholarship centers on classical vocal performance across opera and art song repertoires, supported by fluency in German, Italian, and French. Recent activities include lead baritone performances in Puccini's Il Tabarro with Mobile Opera (2019) and Fauré's Requiem with the Meridian Symphony, alongside international engagement as Guest Faculty at Canada's Operatic Arts Academy where he conducted masterclasses. His work spans national collaborations with artists from New York and New Orleans to regional Mississippi-based projects.

Based in Marsh Hall's Fine Arts Building (FAB 208) in Hattiesburg, he maintains active performance practice while developing pedagogical approaches for voice instruction.