Robert Phillips (Guitarist)

Robert Phillips (born July 26, 1953 in New York City) is an American classical guitarist.

Early life

The son of two optometrists, Dr. Robert Michael Phillips (born Robert Warren Phillips) and Dr. Irma Phillips nee Pedrogo who resided, although only briefly, in Valley Stream, New York. A few months after his birth his parents returned to his mother's native Puerto Rico, living in San Juan, Puerto Rico, coincidentally in a building next to the one in which legendary cellist Pablo Casals lived. (Irma Phillips was a first cousin to Rafael "Churumba" Cordero, who was mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico from 1989 until his death in 2004.) Three years later they returned to the U.S., residing for two years in Brooklyn, New York and then relocating to Deer Park, New York. Robert attended Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic school and then Seton Hall High School. It was as a high school student that he met Elena Esposito, whom he would eventually marry.

Musical training

Phillips began his musical training at age 8 on the accordion. He began to teach himself the guitar at age 12. He did not work under a teacher until 1967, when he began to learn finger style folk guitar. After one year of lessons, Phillips outpaced his teacher, who suggested that he study classical guitar.

In 1971, he entered Hofstra University as a Music Education major, studying guitar under Stanley Solow. On graduating in 1975, Phillips began studies in New York under José Rey de la Torre. In 1976, Rey de la Torre left New York for San Francisco, and Phillips worked on his own for the next two years. In 1977, after attending a three week seminar and master class under the direction of Guído Santórsola and Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Phillips began to study on a more or less regular basis with Barbosa-Lima. In 1979, Phillips decided that a more regular regimen of study was desirable, and he studied briefly with Dennis Koster. Soon after, he returned to school at Brooklyn College in order to earn a masters degree. There, he studied first with David Starobin, and then with Michael Cedric Smith. Phillips graduated with an M.A. in 1982. Although he did play in master classes, most notably by Eduardo Fernandez, Phillips did not return to formal education until 1999, when he entered the University of Miami. Under the instruction of Rene Gonzalez, he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts. While at the University of Miami, he also had the opportunity to perform in a master class given by Sergio Assad.

Professional career

In 1983 Phillips worked briefly as an editorial assistant on the staff of "Guitar Review". Robert made his New York recital debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on October 31, 1987. In 1989 he began writing a monthly classical guitar column in the popular rock guitar magazine, "Guitar for the Practicing Musician", and its more general sister publication, the quarterly, "Guitar Extra". In 1991 he released his first CD, "Guitarre Nouveau", which included works by Philip Glass, Frank Martin, Eberhard Weber, and Thelonius Monk, as well as his own compositions. In 1992, he published “Great Themes and Variations for Classic Guitar” (Mel Bay Publications, Inc.), and released his second recording, a 2 CD companion set to this book. In 1992 Cherry Lane Music discontinued the publication of "Guitar Extra", and dropped Robert’s classical guitar column in "Guitar" for the Practicing Musician. Phillips went on to write several short “lessons” for "Guitar Player". He also began to contribute articles to "Soundboard", the quarterly publication of the Guitar Foundation of America.

His doctoral dissertation is entitled, "The influence of Miguel Llobet on the pedagogy, repertoire, and stature of the guitar in the twentieth century". (©2002, OCLC 51796355) It was while researching his dissertation, and on the advice of guitar scholars Ronald Purcell and Angelo Gilardino that Phillips sought and found a complete archive of Llobet. His discovery of this missing archive was documented in his article, “Barcelona, Cradle of the Modern Classical Guitar: the Llobet Archive Rediscovered”, "Soundboard XXVIII, no. 4, 2002".

Phillips began teaching guitar, music appreciation, and music theory at All Saints' Academy in 1995, and went on to become the chair of the performing arts department.He continues to perform as a solo recitalist, ensemble player, and guest soloist. He has premiered works by Alfred Giusto, Frank Brazinski, Eric Ross, and Meyer Kupferman.

Discography

"Guitarre Nouveau"; works by Philip Glass, Eberhard Weber, Thelonius Monk, Frank Martin, and Robert Phillips; TPL Records.

Great Themes and Variations for Classic Guitar, 2 CDs; works by Fernando Sor, Mauro Giuliani, Matteo Carcassi, Sylvius Leopold Weiss, Georg Frideric Handel, J. S. Bach, and others. Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

El Mestre; works by Miguel Llobet (release pending).

References

* [http://www.geocities.com/RGUITPHIL/ Robert Phillips Official Web Site] .