Marquis Who's Who Millennium Magazine

384 MILLENNIUM J ewel Taylor Thompson’s musical prowess is a result of both talent and education. She received a Bachelor of Science from Virginia State University in 1956 and a Master of Arts from the Eastern School of Music of the University of Rochester in 1960. Soon thereafter she began imparting her musical genius on the musical minds of undergraduate and graduate students in institutions in the states of Virginia, West Virginia and New York. She furthered her education in through musical research and the earning of a Doctor of Philosophy from the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester in 1982. Dr. Thompson began her educational career as an assistant professor at Virginia State University from 1960 to 1962. She took a five-year hiatus from teaching before returning as an assistant professor at West Virginia State University, serving in that position from 1967 to 1968 and later obtaining a similar position at West Virginia Institute of Technology from 1968 to 1972. Wanting to branch out and expand her horizons, she relocated to New York City and returned to teaching as an adjunct assistant professor at Hunter College. After serving both as an assistant and associate professor, she became a full professor in 1997, a position she continues to hold. In addition to her educational career, Dr. Thompson utilized her musical talents as an organist, minister of music and choir master for Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City, and eastern area music director and national music director for The Links, Incorporated—a woman’s service organization. She has imparted her musical knowledge as the author of a book on the life and compositional style of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, contributed to the International Dictionary of Book Composers, speaker and presenter at several forums and symposiums on the African-American spirit and music in the black church, and composer and arranger of many compositions for mixed voices. Additionally, as church choirmaster, she conducted performances at several major venues. Je wel Taylor Thompson, Ph.D. Music Educator CUNY Hunter College New York, NY