Phillip O'Banion
Temple University - United States

Overview

Phillip O’Banion is currently Assistant Professor and Director of Percussion Studies in the Boyer College of Music at Temple University in Philadelphia. He serves as conductor of the Percussion Ensemble, director of the Boyer Percussion Group, teaches applied lessons and studio classes, lectures on percussion in a variety of course settings, and hosts the annual ‘Alan Abel Orchestral Percussion Seminar’ each summer. He holds degrees from Southern Methodist University, the University of Colorado at Boulder and Temple University. 

A versatile professional, O’Banion often performs with the Philadelphia Orchestra and other regional symphonies, plays drum set and percussion with various theater companies and choruses, remains active as a solo recitalist, clinician, and as chamber musician with groups such as Network for New Music and the POA and PCMS chamber music series at the Kimmel Center. He has been featured as a marimba and percussion soloist with orchestras, wind ensembles, and percussion groups. 

Mr. O’Banion performs exclusively on Pearl/Adams musical instruments, Sabian cymbals, and Evans drumheads. He currently sits on the symphonic committee for the Percussive Arts Society and serves as an officer for the Pennsylvania chapter. His discography ranges from the orchestral genre, to percussion chamber music, to commercial work for Grammy-winning artist Kirk Franklin. Performances can be heard on the Telarc, Gasparo, Bridge, Lyrichord, Zomba, and BCM&D labels. Phillip is currently working on his first solo album. 

His 2013 – 2014 performance season includes clinics, concerto appearances, and solo recitals in five states, Canada, and Argentina, and in these settings O’Banion is featured as conductor or soloist on eight premieres (four of which are dedicated to him or his ensemble). These new commissions include works in the genres of solo percussion, concerti for marimba with both chorus and band, and percussion ensemble by composers Lane Harder, Patrick Long, Don McCullough, Marc Mellits, Rolando Morales-Matos, Adam Silverman, Gordon Stout, and Ivan Trevino.