School of Music

Bio

Dr. Rebecca Phillips is the Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at the University of South Carolina where she is responsible for directing the Symphonic Winds Concert Band, “The Mighty Sound of the Southeast” Carolina Marching Band, “Concocktion” Basketball and Volleyball Pep Bands, teaching undergraduate instrumental conducting, and directing the Summer Drum Major Clinic.

Under Dr. Phillips’ direction, the University of South Carolina Symphonic Winds was a featured ensemble 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. At the 2013 CBDNA National Convention, she will conduct the world premiere of John Fitz Rogers Narragansett as a guest of the USC Wind Ensemble. In March 2012, she was a guest conductor the USC Wind Ensemble on their national tour of China with performances in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, and Ningbo. In addition, she conducted the consortium premiere of John Mackey’s Harvest: Concerto for Trombone and Wind Ensemble in 2011.

Dr. Phillips has served as a clinician and guest-conductor throughout the United States, including her invitation as a 2008 Midwest Clinic rehearsal clinician, conducting performances with the University of Indianapolis Wind Ensemble, the Florida State University Symphonic Band, the University of South Florida Wind Ensemble and various high school and college honor bands. Under her directions, the Louisiana State University Wind Ensemble performed a consortium premiere of John Mackey’s Turbine in 2006 and the world premiere of Brett Dietz’s Crop Circles with the LSU Symphonic Winds. Her conducting performances of David del Tredici’s In Wartime and John Mackey’s Redline Tango are both featured on the nationally distributed Louisiana State University Wind Ensemble compact disc project.

As a trombonist, 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 Washington, D.C., Dr. Phillips earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from 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. Dr. Phillips holds memberships in the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE), the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), and the National Band Association (NBA).