Dr. Rebecca Phillips is the director of bands at Colorado State University where she conducts the CSU Wind Symphony and guides all aspects of the band and graduate wind conducting program. Prior to this appointment, she served as the associate director of bands and director of athletic bands at the University of South Carolina where she was responsible for directing the Symphonic Winds Concert Band, “The Mighty Sound of the Southeast” Carolina Marching Band, “Concocktion” Pep Bands, teaching undergraduate instrumental conducting, and directing the Carolina Summer Drum Major Clinic.
Dr. Phillips has served as a guest conductor, clinician, and performer throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Most recently, she conducted a chamber winds concert featuring members of the Des Moines Symphony for the 2018 Iowa Bandmasters Association annual conference. In 2017, she conducted members of the Prague National Symphony at the inaugural "2017 American Spring Festival" in Prague, The Czech Republic. Dr. Phillips regularly conducts collegiate honor bands and all-state bands, and festival bands across the United States and in Canada and she has been a rehearsal clinician at the Midwest Clinic: An International Band and Orchestra Conference. Ensembles under her direction have been featured at the 2012 College Band Director’s National Association Southern Division Conference (CBDNA), the 2010 Society of Composers International Conference, and the 2008 North American Saxophone Alliance International Convention. In 2019, the Colorado State University Wind Symphony will be featured at the American Bandmasters Association National Convention.
Dr. Phillips believes in treasuring the traditional wind music of the past as well as promoting cutting edge works of today’s finest composers. She has commissioned and conducted world and consortium premieres of works by several leading composers, including William Bolcomb, Frank Ticheli, James David, John Mackey, John Fitz Rogers, Robert Bradshaw,and Brett Dietz. Her conducting performances of David del Tredici’s In Wartime and John Mackey’s Redline Tangoare both featured on the nationally distributed Louisiana State University Wind Ensemble compact disc project and the world premiere of John Fitz Rogers Narragansett is featured on the Compact Disc And I Await, featuring Dr. Phillips as guest conductor of the University of South Carolina Wind Ensemble.
As a trombonist, Dr. Phillips’ performances can be found on several internationally distributed recordings. She has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra, U.S. Army Band (Pershing’s Own), the Tallahassee Symphony, and the Tampa Bay Opera Orchestra. She has also performed internationally in England, Mexico, the Caribbean, Russia, and Sweden, and has toured as a trombonist with Johnny Mathis and Barry Manilow.
A native of the Washington, D.C. area, Dr. Phillips earned her Bachelor’s in Music Education from The Florida State University, Master of Music degrees in conducting and trombone performance from the University of South Florida, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in conducting at Louisiana State University. She served as a secondary school band director for seven years in Florida, including director of bands at Howard W. Blake Performing Arts High School in Tampa, Florida where she developed an award-winning concert band program. Currently, she is the first vice president and president-elect of the National Band Association and serves on the Music Education Committee of the College Band Directors National Association.
Colorado State University, Director of Bands
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