Taylor Davis (violinist)

Taylor Davis
Background information
Born March 20, 1987
Western Springs, Illinois, US
Genres Anime, classical crossover, classical, film score, pop
Occupation(s) Violinist, arranger, composer
Instruments Violin
Website www.taylordavisviolin.com

Taylor Davis is an American violinist, arranger, and composer. Davis is best known for her violin-covers of music from video games featured on her YouTube channel "ViolinTay", where she also features performances of her own arrangements of music from films and musicals. From July 2013, she has begun releasing her own original compositions as well.

During 2012 Davis released two albums and an assortment of singles. The first album is called "Gaming Fantasy", and it features tunes from various video games arranged for violin. Six months later "An Enchanted Christmas" was released (as the name says, this album contains a collection of warm re-arrangements of several Christmas songs). In January 2013, Davis publishes her third album, called "Game On: 2 Player mode". It has been co-produced and arranged along with Australian pianist Lara de Wit. With the help of a MIDI keyboard and the DAW "Logic Pro", Davis created all of the orchestral backtracks for these works.[1][2] "Legendary Movie Music", the fourth album (which contains a serie of intense re-arrangements by Adam Gubman of music from films), was released in July 2013. This was the first project that has been arranged and orchestrated in collaboration with the composer Adam Gubman.[3] In November 2013, always with Gubman's joint participation, Davis publishes "Melodies of Hyrule", an homage to the melodies of the famous Nintendo's video game serie The Legend of Zelda, while "The Anime and Game Collection" is released in July 2014 (also arranged and produced by Adam Gubman). Three months later, in October, Davis launches a crowdfunding campaign for the creation of her seventh album, the first one made up exclusively of original music.[4] Once again, Adam Gubman will not only arrange and produce, but also co-write ten of the twelve songs for the album.[5] The platform chosen for this project is PledgeMusic. The campaign achieved its goal in around a week, and the new album, which is entitled "Taylor Davis", has been released in March 2015.

Biography

Taylor Davis was born March 20, 1987 at Western Springs, Illinois. Davis started playing violin at the age of 8, while in elementary school, after being inspired by a young girl's performance of Silent Night on the violin at a school assembly.[6] While in high school, she began playing video games music, and introduced this genre (Final Fantasy tracks in particular) into school's ambient. Later, she attended Gonzaga University, and she kept introducing video game music to the college orchestra and to the quartet members as well. In turn, some of the game music would get played at weddings and other gigs.[7] Davis graduated from Gonzaga with a "magna cum laude" degree in Public Relations, and minored in Violin Performance.[8] After attending college, she intended to get into the profession of scoring music for games, films, or other media. It did not work out at the time,[9] so she took a business job for a short time, while at the same time posting YouTube videos on the side (as a classically trained violinist, she was looking for a way to keep music a part of her life).[10] In November 2011, Davis decided to quit her job, so she could concentrate all her efforts into developing her career through YouTube.[11] She describes herself as a private person, so it feels funny to be on YouTube.[12]

Career and activity on YouTube

Davis started her first YouTube channel under the pseudonym "ViolinTay" on April 29, 2010. From then on, she captured media and people's attention thanks to her top-notch technique and versatility; this is confirmed by the continuous growth of subscribers and video-views on her channel. As of 2015, Davis' first channel statistics are : 129 videos posted, over 100.000.000 video-views and over 800.000 subscribers.[13] Her most popular video (which collected over 10.000.000 views) is entitled "He is a Pirate", where she plays an intense re-arrangement of Klaus Badelt's track which is featured into the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl".[14] This cover has been realized in collaboration with composer Adam Gubman. March 23, 2015, after almost 5 years since the starting of her first channel, Davis started a second one, which is focused on sharing more aspects of Davis' musician activity to the audience.[15] As of 2015, channel statistics are : 1 videos posted.

In October 2013 Critical Hit band's debut took place. This is a group formed by top-notch musicians, led by Jason Hayes (keyboardist and composer of "World of Warcraft" videogame's soundtrack) and Michael Gluck (entrepreneur and pianist under the pseudonym "Piano Squall"). Davis joined the band in the same year,[16] and beyond her, Hayes and Gluck, the other band's members are: the composer Adam Gubman; the keyboardist David Paich (Toto band's co-founder); the violinist Michelle Jade; the bassists Carlitos del Puerto and Tim MacDonald; the cellists Tina Guo and Ginger Murphy; the percussionists Doug Belote, Joel Taylor and Kevin Dooley; the guitarists Kole Hicks, Nita Strauss, Chet Stevens and Laurence Juber; the pianist Salome Scheidegger; the flutists Sara Andon, Shannon Canchola, and the "World Music" woodwinds-reeds-wind synthesizers specialist Pedro Eustache. The band published its first album in the same period.

Davis keeps pursuing her personal career anyway, and recognition that comes with YouTube's videos provides her opportunities to showcase her talents:[17]

– June 2012: performance at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles, along with YouTube musicians Lara de Wit and Kyle Landry.[18]

– August 2012: exhibition with the College of the Holy Cross Goodtime Marching Band.[19]

– November 2012: performing Chance Thomas' "Theme for Rohan" in the publicity video for the videogame "The Lord of the Rings Online".[20]

– February / March 2013: exhibitions at New York and London for the "Titanic II Global Launch event", along with Glenn Shorrock (singer-songwriter), the band McGuinness & Co, and guitarist Sungha Jung.[21]

– March 2013: "Curse WildStar PAX East After Party" performance in Boston.

– November 2013: BlizzCon concert in Anaheim, California. This was Critical Hit band's first concert (and then, the first concert for Davis as a member of the band).

– November 2013: Wizard Entertainment World Comic Con exhibition at Austin, Texas.

– End of 2013/ January 2014 : Violin soloist in the soundtrack of the new tactical role-playing video game "The Banner Saga", along with singers/songwriters Peter Hollens, Malukah, and Johann Sigurdarson. The soundtrack was composed by the Grammy-nominated composer Austin Wintory.[22]

– April 2014 : Davis' first two own concerts – the first one took place in San Francisco,[23] while the second was held in New York City.[24]

– June 2014 : performances at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles. Davis played with Austin Wintory, Peter Hollens and Malukah as part of The Banner Saga's soundtrack-team, as well as part of the Critical Hit band at Video Games Live concert/event.[25]

– August 2014 : exhibition with Critical Hit band at Nerdfest event in Orlando, Florida. Critical Hit co-headlined the event along with Nobuo Uematsu's band Earthbound Papas.[26]

– September 2014 : Davis' third and fourth own concerts – the first one took place in Los Angeles,[27] while the second was held in Seattle.[28] For these two concerts, Davis will be accompanied on the piano by Critical Hit's pianist Salome Scheidegger.

– December 2014 : Davis played with Austin Wintory, Peter Hollens, Malukah and a choral group at The Game Awards show (which was held in Las Vegas at The AXIS auditorium) for the World-premiere of the upcoming video game "The Banner Saga 2".[29]

Full discography

Gaming Fantasy (2012)

  1. Skyrim Theme
  2. Brothers (Fullmetal Alchemist)
  3. Metal Gear Saga
  4. Dearly Beloved (Kingdom Hearts)
  5. Cid's Theme (Final Fantasy VII)
  6. Time's Scar (Chrono Cross)
  7. To Zanarkand (Final Fantasy X)
  8. Sadness and Sorrow (Naruto)
  9. Roses of May (Final Fantasy IX)
  10. Ezio's Family (Assassin's Creed 2)
  11. Frog's Theme (Chrono Trigger)
  12. Zelda Medley
  13. Chrono Trigger Theme
  14. Hikari (Kingdom Hearts)
  15. Sadness and Sorrow (Naruto)
  16. Grief and Sorrow (Naruto)

An Enchanted Christmas (2012)

  1. Carol of the Bells
  2. The Christmas Song
  3. Silent night
  4. Greensleeves
  5. Let It Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!
  6. Silver Bells
  7. O Holy Night
  8. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
  9. O Little Town of Bethlehem
  10. White Christmas
  11. I Saw Three Ships
  12. Hark the Herald Angels Sing
  13. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
  14. Auld Lang Syne Scottish Medley

Game On: 2 Player Mode (2013) – Taylor Davis & Lara de Wit

  1. Assassin's Creed 3 Theme
  2. Passion (Kingdom Hearts II)
  3. Fairy Tail Theme
  4. Aeris' Theme (Final Fantasy VII)
  5. Guile's Theme (Street Fighter II)
  6. Sons of Liberty (Metal Gear Solid 2)
  7. Roxas (Kingdom Hearts II)
  8. Chocobo Medley
  9. To Galaxy (Halo 4)
  10. An End, Once and for All (Mass Effect 3)
  11. Pokémon Theme
  12. Eyes on Me (Final Fantasy VIII)
  13. Song of Storms (Zelda OoT)

Legendary Movie Music (2013)

  1. He's a Pirate (From "Pirates of the Caribbean")
  2. Hedwig's Theme (From "Harry Potter")
  3. Now We Are Free (From "Gladiator")
  4. Lux Aeterna (From "Requiem for a Dream")
  5. My Heart Will Go On (From "Titanic")
  6. Duel of the Fates (From "Star Wars")
  7. Jurassic Park Theme
  8. James Bond Theme
  9. Mission Impossible Theme
  10. For the Love of a Princess (From "Braveheart")
  11. Concerning Hobbits (From "The Lord of the Rings")
  12. Raiders March (From "Indiana Jones")

Melodies of Hyrule : Music from The Legend of Zelda (2013)

  1. Gerudo Valley (From "Ocarina of Time")
  2. Bolero of Fire (From "Ocarina of Time")
  3. Song of Time and Song of Storms (From "Ocarina of Time")
  4. Dragon Roost Island (From "the Wind Waker")
  5. Kokiri Forest (From "Ocarina of Time")
  6. Great Fairy Fountain
  7. Zelda's Lullaby
  8. Midna's Lament (From "Twilight Princess")
  9. Nocturne of Shadow (From "Ocarina of Time")
  10. Serenade of Water (From "Ocarina of Time")
  11. Sheik's Theme (From "Ocarina of Time")
  12. Lon Lon Ranch (From "Ocarina of Time")
  13. Dark World Theme (From "a Link to the Past")
  14. Ballad of the Goddess (From "Skyward Sword")
  15. Tal Tal Heights and the Legend of Zelda Main Theme
  16. Lost Woods (From "Ocarina of Time")

The Anime and Game Collection (2014)

  1. Dr. Wily's Castle (From "Mega Man 2″)
  2. Grief and Sorrow (From "Naruto")
  3. The Last of Us Theme
  4. Attack on Titan Theme
  5. Lilium (From "Elfen Lied")
  6. Fairy Tail Slow Theme
  7. Merry-Go-Round of Life (From "Howl's Moving Castle")
  8. From Past to Present (From "Skryim")
  9. Angel Beats! Theme
  10. Cosmo Canyon (From "Final Fantasy VII")
  11. The Path of Wind (From "My Neighbor Totoro")
  12. Binks' Sake (From "One Piece")
  13. Halo 2 Theme
  14. Fairy Tail Theme Remix (Bonus Track)

Taylor Davis (2015)

  1. Soulbound
  2. Reflections
  3. Awakening
  4. Mystic Forest
  5. Atonement
  6. Nebulous
  7. Breakthrough
  8. Hidden Falls
  9. Halo of Light
  10. A New Journey
  11. Morning Star
  12. Dawn of Hope

Singles

  1. Grief and Sorrow – released February 16, 2012
  2. Zelda Medley – released March 7, 2012
  3. Ezio's Family – released March 30, 2012
  4. Arrival to Earth – released June 28, 2012
  5. Wide Awake (violin version) – released November 5, 2012
  6. Promentory – released November 26, 2012
  7. Journey Medley – released February 14, 2013
  8. Game of Thrones Theme – released March 26, 2013
  9. Elizabeth's Theme Medley – released April 23, 2013
  10. Downton Abbey Theme – released May 2, 2013
  11. The Avengers Theme – released August 27, 2013
  12. Misty Mountains – released August 27, 2013
  13. Never Meant to Belong – released August 27, 2013
  14. Wake Me Up (violin / electric violin version) – released October 1, 2013
  15. The Circle of Life – released March 13, 2014
  16. Let it go (violin version) – released March 27, 2014
  17. Doctor Who Theme – released April 24, 2014
  18. Thriller (violin version) – released October 30, 2014
  19. The Hobbit – The Last Goodbye – released December 15, 2014
  20. The Hanging Tree – released December 30, 2014

Taylor Davis & Lara de Wit

  1. Assassin's Creed 3 Theme – released November 7, 2012
  2. Halo 4: To Galaxy – released November 9, 2012
  3. The Phantom of the Opera Medley – released August 27, 2013

Taylor Davis & Peter Hollens

  1. The Rains of Castamere – released June 7, 2013
  2. World of Warcraft Medley (ft. Evynne Hollens) – released January 7, 2014
  3. Into the West – released June 11, 2014
  4. May it be – released June 24, 2014

Taylor Davis & Home Free

  1. Silent Night – released November 13, 2014

Original singles

  1. Nebulous – released July 16, 2013
  2. Awakening – released June 18, 2014

This discography was compiled from iTunes[30] and Loudr.[31]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Taylor Davis Brings Together Violin Music and Video Games". TechZwn. TechZwn. January 25, 2013. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  2. ↑ "An Interview with Taylor Davis aka ViolinTay". Addict of Fiction. Addict of Fiction. January 10, 2013. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Special Interview with Taylor Davis (ViolinTay) – Loudr Game Music Festival Series". elder-geek.com Yasenchak (Podcast). December 1, 2013. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Taylor Davis: my first album of original music". PledgeMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  5. ↑ Album liner notes for Taylor Davis
  6. ↑ "Taylor Davis – about". Taylor Davis. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  7. ↑ "INTERVIEW: Taylor Davis" (PDF). Geek Syndicate. Geek Syndicate. November 2012. p. 17.
  8. ↑ "Taylor Davis ('09) – Classical Violinist and Gonzaga Alumna". ZagsOnline. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Taylor Davis interview." (PDF). Geek Syndicate. Geek Syndicate. November 2012. p. 17.
  10. ↑ "Taylor Davis – Gonzaga". ZagsOnline. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  11. ↑ "An interview with Taylor Davis, a violinist and composer with a love of videogame, anime and movie soundtracks". cmuse.org. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Peter Thomas Interviews Taylor Davis – Part 1". gamentrain.com/gameon-episode-20/ Thomas (Podcast). August 16, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  13. ↑ "ViolinTay". YouTube. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
  14. ↑ "He's a Pirate (Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean Theme) Violin – Taylor Davis". YouTube. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Taylor Davis – Behind the Strings". Youtube. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Taylor Davis – Violin". Critical Hit. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Taylor Davis – past performances". Taylor Davis. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  18. ↑ "nvidia". The Way It's Meant To Be Played Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary @ E3. www.geforce.com. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  19. ↑ "The Legend of Zelda: Tale of the "Goodtime" (see description)". violintay. Holy Cross Goodtime Band. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Chance Thomas (News)". Theme for Rohan: New Music Video. Chance Thomas. December 19, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Performances with the Titanic II Press Launch". Taylordavisviolin.com. March 6, 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Featured Violin Soloist in the new game: The Banner Saga (Music by Austin Wintory)". Taylor Davis. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Taylor Davis live show – Yoshi's San Francisco". Yoshi's. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Taylor Davis live show – Joe's Pub New York". Joe's Pub. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Critical Hit E3 Concert at Nokia Theatre with Video Games Live". Michael Gluck. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Blizzard composer Jason Hayes and his band Critical Hit announced!". orlandonerdfest.com. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  27. ↑ "The Mint – Taylor Davis (early show)". The Mint L.A. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  28. ↑ "The Triple Door Presents: Taylor Davis". The Triple Door. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Performing at The Game Awards". Malukah.com. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  30. ↑ "iTunes – Taylor Davis". Itunes. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Loudr – Taylor Davis". Loudr. Retrieved March 24, 2015.

External links