Episode 20: The Political Power of Music

Imagine A World

The Imagine A World season finale is here, and it’s a bittersweet goodbye to Taylor Goss, a KH scholar you’ve come to know and love as our podcast co-host. As Taylor completes his time with the Knight-Hennessy community and moves on from Stanford, he shares about the world he imagines—where music and art are recognized and funded, not only as means of emotional expression, but also as drivers of social change. Taylor reflects on his homeschooling days in Louisiana, his passion projects, and the core childhood memories that helped shape where he’s going next.

Stay tuned! Imagine A World will return in fall 2024 with a brand-new season and new co-host Sydney Hunt.

• (6:12) Taylor’s experiences growing up in Lacassine, Louisiana, being homeschooled, and becoming interested in the guitar
• (19:23) Transitioning from high school to college by taking dual enrollment classes at McNeese State University, attending a program at the Berklee College of Music, and then attending Louisiana State University on a Stamps Scholarship
• (25:46) How music became a lifelong pursuit for Taylor through providing a community, whether the mentorship he received from the Lake Charles music community, or the Coastal Voices project in the LASAL Scholars program
• (32:55) What brought Taylor to apply for Stanford and Knight-Hennessy and his advice to applicants
• (37:11) Taylor’s thoughts on his Imagine a World Statement about valuing the social and political potential of the arts and increasing public funding for arts education
• (44:55) Taylor’s research at Stanford studying music technology and policy at CCMRA and on homeless housing policy through the MPP program
• (49:00) Taylor’s upcoming move to Malibu to work as a recording engineer
• (51:25) The history of Taylor’s hair
• (54:58) Rapid-fire mailbag questions for Taylor, on everything from transmogrified kitchenware to Halloween costumes
• (1:05:11) An original song by Taylor