Second Lieutenant Philip R. Emory serves as flight commander and associate conductor of the Heritage of America Band at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, as well as the flight commander for the Heartland of America Band in Offutt, Nebraska.
Originally from Mesa, Arizona, Lt. Emory began studying violin at four years old. He earned a B.A. in Church Music and Viola from Bob Jones University in 2005. After college Lt. Emory traveled nationally and internationally for three years serving as a string player and audio engineer for an evangelistic ministry led by Dr. Steve Pettit. He later attended the University of South Carolina to pursue conducting and viola studies, culminating in a M.M. degree in Conducting in 2010, and a Graduate Performance Certificate in Viola in 2013. His primary conducting mentors have been Larry Wyatt and Donald Portnoy with additional studies to include notable teachers such as Markand Thakar, Gustav Meier, Mark Gibson, and Donald Schleicher.
As an educator Lt. Emory has instructed symphony orchestras at the pre-college and collegiate level. In addition he has served as a music director for church ministries in Georgia and Wisconsin before entering the Air Force. He has previously held the position of assistant conductor of the Spartanburg Philharmonic, and assistant to the director of the Greenville County Youth Orchestra in Greenville, SC. As a string player he has performed with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Spartanburg Philharmonic, South Carolina Philharmonic, and Symphony Orchestra of Augusta.
EDUCATION:
1. 2005 Bachelor of Arts - Church Music & Viola, Bob Jones University, Greenville, SC
2. 2010 Master of Music - Choral Conducting, University of South Carolina
3. 2013 Graduate Performance Certificate - Viola, University of South Carolina
DECORATIONS:
Air Force Training Ribbon
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Small Arms Expert Ribbon