Our Judges/Adjudicators

for Heart of America

Rich Taylor

Rich began his career as vocalist, producer, director and teacher with famed choral music pioneer, Fred Waring & his Pennsylvanians. Rich was seen from coast to coast in national tours, the White House, and on television. As Vice President of Disney Creative Entertainment & Costuming, Rich led a team of nearly 5000 performers in countless Disney parades, shows and spectaculars that continue to delight millions today. His leadership guided and created Wishes, Fantasmic!, Illuminations, Festival of the Lion King, Tarzan Rocks!, the grand opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and helped to produce the Emmy Award-winning Walt Disney World Christmas Parade on ABC and the Super Bowl XXXIV halftime show. Rich is the former Dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Oklahoma, a two-time judge of the Miss America Pageant, and a sought after adjudicator and clinician for entertainment and choral music events.