Philip Simon is Director of Music Education and Instrumental Studies at Wilkes University. He taught high school band for 29 years, sixteen of them as Director of Bands at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Virginia. At Jefferson, he directed three concert bands, two jazz ensembles, and a 160 member all volunteer marching band. In 2001, he was appointed Visiting Professor of Instrumental Studies at Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas. A position he held concurrently with graduate studies at the University of North Texas.
Mr. Simon holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Boston University, where he won the outstanding undergraduate instrumentalist award in his senior year, and a Master of Education in Music Education degree from the University of Maryland. He is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting degree program at the University of North Texas. While in residence there, he was a Doctoral Conducting Associate and Teaching Fellow. His responsibilities included teaching undergraduate conducting, recording all rehearsals and concerts and working with the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Concert Band and Brass Band.
He lived in the Washington D.C. area for more than 30 years, where he performed professionally on tuba, string bass and bass guitar. As bass accompanist for the Alexandria Singers, he toured Eastern Europe and Russia. and 58th editions of Marquis Who’s Who in America. He holds membership in the College Band Directors National Association, the College Music Society, the National Band Association, the Music Educators National Conference, The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, and the International Association of Jazz Educators.
Mr. Simon is the recipient of three Citations of Excellence by the National Band Association. He has been nominated for Fairfax County, VA Teacher of the Year, and his biography appears in the 57th and 58th editions of Marquis Who’s Who in America. He holds membership in the College Band Directors National Association, the College Music Society, the National Band Association, the Music Educators National Conference, The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, and the International Association of Jazz Educators.