John Phillips

In demand throughout North America and internationally as an adjudicator and clinician, Professor John Phillips serves as the Judge Administrator for the 2026 NABBA Championships.  In recent years Phillips has adjudicated the US Open, The Gateway Brass Band Championships, Dublin Festival of Brass, The U.S. Masters, and the North American Brass Band Association Championships. 

 

Throughout his career he has contributed to numerous initiatives with Music For All including the National Concert Festival, the annual Summer Symposium, and the Bands of America Grand Nationals. He is a Conn-Selmer Educational Clinician. He recently served as Artistic Coordinator for the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and taught at Florida Gulf Coast University. Prior to moving to Florida, he was on staff at the University of Western Ontario, where he conducted the Symphonic Band and taught conducting and music education classes. He previously taught at the University of Toronto and York University in the departments of music and education. 

 

Phillips has adjudicated music festivals and events in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Indonesia. He regularly guest conducts honor bands across Canada and the United States. For twenty years he conducted the Wind Ensemble at the National Music Camp of Canada and has been a guest conductor at the International Music Camp. Phillips has served as Judge Administrator for Drum Corps International since 2000, and was inducted into the DCI Hall of Fame, Class of 2015. 

 

He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario where he received undergraduate degrees in Music and Education. He pursued a Masters Degree in Music Education at Boston University, a PhD in Ethnomusicology at York University, and holds an Artist Diploma in trumpet performance from the Western Conservatory of Music. He received awards of distinction for conducting from the Ontario Band Association, Phi Beta Mu, the Southern Ontario Band Festival, and an Honorary Life Membership from the Ontario Music Educators’ Association.  

 

As a trumpeter, Phillips performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, Brantford Symphony and the Forest City Brass Quintet. He spent two summers at the Banff School of Fine Arts under the leadership of the Canadian Brass, studying with Fred Mills and Ronald Romm.