Mrs. Taryn Tidwell is the Choir and Musical Theatre director at Shepherd Junior High School. She is in her 12th year of teaching with Mesa Public Schools, loving every minute of music making that happens throughout the day. Taryn is a strong supporter of music and arts in the schools and enjoys bringing music, dance, and laughter into her classroom. Taryn is also a cancer survivor, having been diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma her first year of teaching! She is excited to be in remission as a happy and healthy educator and continues to be a force of excellence for secondary music education!

Taryn received her Bachelors of Music in Choral/General Music Education from Arizona State University, where she studied voice under the direction of Carole FitzPatrick, and recently earned her Masters in Educational Leadership degree from ASU. She is an active member of the ACDA, NAfME, and AMEA music organizations and is currently serving as the Show Choir Repertoire and Resource Chair for AzCDA. She is also very involved in community theatre and enjoys choreographing and performing in shows, workshops, and musical theatre camps around the valley. She is a highly sought-after choir clinician and presenter.

Taryn is the 2021 Inaugural Tancer Arts in Education Award Winner with Act One as well as a 2020 AZ Teacher of the Year finalist and Ambassador for Excellence with the Arizona Educational Foundation. She also was a 2015 recipient of the AMEA Outstanding New Choral Music Educator Award, recipient of the 2017 Arizona Diamondbacks Most Valuable Teacher Award, the 2019 Shepherd Educator Who Makes a Difference, and 2020 Shepherd Service Learning Teacher of the Year! She is currently an ASU Arizona STEM Acceleration Project (ASAP) Fellow and is excited to be connecting the worlds of STEM/STEAM with our performing arts program. 

Taryn is so thrilled to be working with these amazing students. She would like to publicly thank her wonderful husband Brandon and her family for always being so supportive of her musical endeavors, and giving her the encouragement to always pursue her passion for music and theatre.