John Phillips, trombone

Here is an interview with John from 2021:

​What instruments  do you play?
Trombone, Piano, a little acoustic Guitar

How long have you played these instruments?
Piano started with visiting my grandmother (she was an organist / piano teacher), but lessons started in elementary school. Trombone started in junior high school. Picked up acoustic Guitar lessons while living in Asia the last few years.

How long have you been a Wilmington Symphony Orchestra musician?
First joined WSO in spring 2001 and played through 2008 when work moved us to Kentucky followed by Japan and then Taiwan. After returning to Wilmington in 2019 was able to re-audition.

What do you do for a career?
Engineer and Program Manager with Corning

Where did you grow up?
Mostly North Carolina but being a military family we moved around several times

What is your favorite song, artist, and/or musical memory?
Playing Gordon Langford's "Rhapsody for Trombone and Brass Band", performed when we travelled to my hometown while an undergrad.

Enjoy an eclectic mix of music... keep the iPod on shuffle, with lots of jazz and Bach!

Favorite meal or restaurant?
Big Boyz Pizza in Taipei Taiwan

Favorite beverage?
sample flights of beer

What is your favorite vacation?
Skiing and snowboarding in Hokkaido snow... or SCUBA diving in Palau.

You're stuck on a desert island... What book, music/album/artist and/or movie do you want with you??
My copy of Alexandre Dumas "Count of Monte Cristo" with my 'head bop and groove' custom playlist.

What's your pet situation?
A 6-month old rescue pup 'GUS' which is short for Gustav, cause we picked him up around the planet conjunction.

What do you want people to know about the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra?
The high quality of music that is produced from community members of various backgrounds.

How are you keeping yourself occupied while being at home all day?
Working remotely from the house since last march; enjoyed having my twin sons in the house while they attended their college classes online; kayak fishing in the marsh; providing orientation flights to Civil Air Patrol cadets.

Any words of wisdom to help others through this?
"this too shall pass"... as we learned while raising twin boys.

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