Del’Shawn Taylor saw a gap to help black boys (and all boys) understand what it means to grow up to be a man. He wants boys who look like him to have a positive model and message to follow. Del’Shawn Taylor is an award-winning baritone, composer, pianist, and educator. He is an IUSB graduate.

Taylor’s children’s book “Do You Know What Makes a Man? ,” is a fun and enlightening story of a young boy on a discovery. His Journey takes him from mother to teacher and others he looks up to as he discovers what it means to be a man. Is it having muscle? Is it attracting woman? Read along as he discovers the core of manhood. Illustrated by Noor Moiz.

Buy Do You Know What Makes a Man?

Taylor believes the art form of the children’s book is a perfect vehicle to reach boys and their families. He wants to educate, elevate and empower kids who look like him. He recalls his experience as a young man where teachers and role models encouraged him to achieve his dreams. “I had people that believed in me. People who believed if you put your hard work into it you can achieve,” says Taylor.

The book is the first in a series Believe it! Achieve it! Taylor sees many young people of color behind before they get to work toward their dreams. He hopes his books will provide a motivation and resource for people to dream and achieve. In his second book “ABC of Possibility” he looks at different occupations a young person might be interested in becoming. He plans to build a website where people can find links to discover paths toward an occupation. “This is especially important in urban areas where kids can start out behind,” says Taylor.

“As a black man I think there is little literature for young people of color that is character building. I hope my books will help my community and the community at large,” Says Taylor.

Taylor’s book is available on Amazon.

By Dan Breen

Del’Shawn Taylor

Del’Shawn Taylor is an award-winning baritone, composer, pianist, and educator. He has had solo debuts with symphonies and ensembles on national and international stages. Known for his vocal prowess, DelShawn has won awards such as the Chicago Musical Theatre Award, the American Prize in Voice, the Metropolitan International Music Festival international competitions, and the awards from Hoosier Star Vocal Competition. Having performed on national and international stages, Del’Shawn has performed an array of genres from gospel to opera. He was a top 6 finalist in the Michiana's Rising Star on WNIT in 2014, a third place prize winner in the International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales for the International Voice of Musical Theatre Competition, a finalist with the Sofia Session Orchestra’s Musical Theatre Competition in Bulgaria in 2017, and a finalist in the 2018 NATS Musical Theatre Competition held in NYC. In 2019, he had his Lincoln Center recital debut. He has performed with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, the South Bend Youth Symphony, the LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra, the CBA Symphony Orchestra, and the National Accordion Symphony Orchestra.

As a self-taught composer, Del’Shawn has composed music for an array of instrumentation and projects. In March 2015, he premiered his new setting of The Songs of Songs for soprano, baritone, tenor, women's chorus, string trio, piano, organ, and trumpet. In 2016, he and renowned composer, Dr. Marvin Curtis were commissioned to compose music for a new musical for the Indiana Bicentennial. The musical was called, “A Place to be Somebody,” and it was based on the life of Charles Gordone, the first African American man to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. In 2018, he was one of 17 young African American composers from around the world that participated in the Voic(ed) project in Chicago, IL that premiered new works based on social injustice, racial tension, and the experience of the African American man. Del’Shawn composition “Hymn to the Faeries” was accepted to the 2019 Midwest Music Research Collective Spring Symposium at the University of Kansas. His composition "Sunrise" that was premiered by the St. Mary’s College Women’s choir was a semi-finalist for the 2020 American Prize in Choral music. Currently, Del’Shawn is the only American in a new choral composition program between the Canadian Centre for Music and the new contemporary chamber ensemble, Babεl. Under the mentorship of Dr. Matthew Emery, he is composing a new setting of Emily Dickinson’s Because I Could Not Stop for Death for choir and piano that will premiere in 2021. His new composition "How Much Longer" will have its Washington National Opera premiere this fall. Del'Shawn was recently selected to participate in the Great Plains Composition Workshop with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. During the workshop, he premiered a new composition for cello titled "A Mother's Cry". With a commitment to compose works that give a voice to the unsung stories of African Americans, Del’Shawn was recently commissioned by the Thompson Street Opera Company to compose a new work titled, "Mamie's Song," in honor of Mamie Elizabeth Til Mobley. She is the mother of Emmett Til. Her courageous decision to have an open casket for his funeral changed the course of the Civil Rights Movement. The new work will premiere in Dec 2020. Del'Shawn is also working on a new theatrical song cycle based on African American folklore with writer J.D October that will premiere New York City virtually later this year. He is also the lead composer for the musical adaptation for the award-winning book "Stars in the Sky," based on the stories of the first African American flight attendants. There will be a developmental reading (virtually) in NYC in early 2021.

As a community activist, Del'Shawn is also the youngest recipient of the South Bend Hometown Hero Award for his work as a music educator. As an advocate for the arts in public schools, Del’Shawn recently created a curriculum for middle school music classes with the goal of bridging the gap between music educators and today's inner-city students. The curriculum tied together the history of classical music and hip hop, the stories of the students, professional symphony musicians, professional singers, and community composers. It culminated with a recording session of original music by the students with professional musicians. In addition to teaching music at every level, Del'Shawn has also created music programs for the Boys & Girls Club. He has served as the music director for Sacred Heart Parish, Zior United Church of Christ, Hillcrest United Methodist, and guest directed at several other churches. He served as the musical director for Musical Mission Tour for 6 years and served as a Board Member. He has served as the musical director for several musical productions such as Caroline or Change, Annie, the Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Shrek Jr., Into the Woods Jr. and many more. Del’Shawn currently serves on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee of the South Bend Symphony and is working with community leaders, musicians, and elected officials to create the city's first arts council. This council will work to ensure equity and accessibility within the arts community in South Bend. Currently, he is finishing his MBA and is applying to doctoral programs that focus on educational equity within urban communities. He is passionate about building communities where children regardless of their socioeconomic status have access to quality education through curriculum in which students can see themselves and learn about their individual history. Equally passionate about equity within the arts and working with arts organizations to develop meaningful and long-lasting relationships with underrepresented communities. This October, Del'Shawn will be releasing his first children's book titled "Do You Know What Makes a Man". This will be the first book in his Believe It Achieve It series for Black youth.

What Makes a Man? Inspiring Boys