Rebecca Phillips, associate director of bands and director of athletic bands at the University of South Carolina, has accepted a position as director of bands at Colorado State University. 

Effective August 2014, Phillips will join Colorado State University as director of bands to pursue her wind conducting aspirations which include conducting the most serious and prestigious literature with the best musicians in concert halls rather than on the athletic field.  

USC School of Music Dean Tayloe Harding said, "Rebecca Phillips has for seven years delivered masterful musical devotion to the USC School of Music, both as a superb wind conductor and conducting teacher, and for the last three years as Director of the Carolina Band. She has been a model colleague and a delight for Gamecock fans everywhere.  But, we will most especially miss her dedication to the students of USC Bands and instrumental music education – I have encountered few others in my career in music who capture and inspire such musical magic with young people, as does Rebecca Phillips. She is destined to be a great director of bands, and we here at Carolina have been lucky to have her. We wish her well, indeed."

“This was not an easy decision,” said Phillips. “However I have determined that this move is in the best interest of my professional advancement, artistic goals, and musical ambitions. The opportunity to be director of bands and lead the top ensemble at a major university is very important in the natural progression of a college band director's career. Colorado State University, an outstanding institution, has offered me this opportunity and I look forward to leading one of the nation's thriving band programs.”

Assistant director of athletic bands, Jayme Taylor, will be appointed interim associate director of bands for 2014-15. He will direct the Carolina Marching Band, the men’s basketball band, and will conduct a university concert band.

Early in the fall 2014, the School of Music will conduct a major national search for the permanent tenure-track position of associate director of bands/director of athletic bands with a goal to have the position filled by summer 2015.