Taylor Rodgers
Taylor Rodgers, a native of Oklahoma, is the Director of Choral Activities at Arvada West High School in the Jeffco School District. Prior to his time at Arvada West, he served as the choral director at Dunwoody High School in Dunwoody, GA. He currently teaches six ensemble classes, including Free Agents, the Treble Choir, Concert Choir, the Varsity Tenor/Bass Choir, Company West, and Vocal Showcase.
In addition to his work at the school level, Taylor has been highly involved in the Georgia Music Educators Association, serving as the District IV Choral Chair. He was also selected to lead as the choral chair for DeKalb County. Most recently, Taylor finished his eighth summer at the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, where he’s had the opportunity to work alongside conductors such as Grammy Award winners Dr. Jeffrey Murdock, Charles Bruffy and Vance George, Dr. Cari Earnhart, Dr. Rob Ward, Dr. Paul Tucker, Dr. Pearl Shangkuan and composer David Brunner.
Taylor holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Central Oklahoma. He is a member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), and the Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA). He is certified by the AP CollegeBoard to teach AP Music Theory, and he regularly collaborates as a pianist.
Jesse Vanlandingham
Jesse Vanlandingham is the Director of Orchestras and Assistant Director of Choirs at Arvada West High School. Mr. Vanlandingham's ensembles include all three levels of orchestra, Concert Choir, and Arvada West's acapella group, Vocal Chords.
Jesse is a native of Arvada, and attended elementary, middle and high school all in Jeffco Public Schools. He later earned his Bachelor of Music Education from Metropolitan State University of Denver. During his time at MSU Denver, Jesse primarily studied voice, studied violin as a secondary instrument, and also earned a Spanish minor. Before joining the team at Arvada West, Mr. Vanlandingham taught choir and orchestra at Oberon Middle School. As a singer and violinist, Jesse regularly performs with community and professional ensembles in the Denver area, including Elus Vocal Ensemble, St. Martin's Chamber Choir, the Colorado Symphony Chorus, and local churches. As a conductor, he had the honor of directing a select group of Arvada West string players in a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Jesse is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), and Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA).
Reece Classen
Reece Classen is a pianist, musician and educator residing in Golden. Graduating from MSU Denver in 2020 with BA’s in Piano Performance and Music Composition, he is always looking for unique and fresh ways to share his love for music with others. Since his time at MSU, he has recorded and performed with various groups in the area as well as honing his skills as a producer to share his own music in a new way. He also teaches private music and piano lessons with a focus on helping students learn music that interests them. In the rare occasion that Reece isn’t making music, you’ll likely find him on top of a 14er or spending time with family in the mountains.