Tai Mikulecky is a second-year graduate student studying saxophone with Dr. Robert Young.
She was the assistant band director for four years at Las Cruces High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico where she taught concert, jazz, marching, and pep bands. During her time teaching there, the marching band placed in finals at the Zia Marching Festival and Tournament of Bands for the first time in over ten years. The advanced concert band was chosen as the 2021 New Mexico Honor Band and recorded and filmed a virtual performance of four pieces. She also played her saxophone as a member of the Mesilla Valley Community Band, and performed as a saxophone soloist with the band. In addition, she performed professionally with various jazz big bands and combos in Las Cruces.
During the summers of 2017 and 2018, she worked as the saxophone instructor at Cazadero Music Camp in Cazadero, California. There she led saxophone masterclasses, sectionals, one-on-one lessons, and played with classical and jazz faculty ensembles. She has also worked as the woodwind instructor for the Eastern Green Marching Band in Greene County, Indiana. She led marching fundamentals, assisted with setting drill, and taught woodwind sectionals. She has worked with many beginners through group lessons at middle schools in Indiana and has helped students go from playing their first notes to their first full pieces. She is currently teaching private saxophone lessons to students of all ages. Tai graduated from the Indiana University Jacobs School of music in Spring 2018 with a Bachelor in Music Education.