A dynamic North Carolina-based percussionist and educator, Dr. McKayla Phillips serves as Interim Percussion Coordinator, Assistant Director of Athletic Bands, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music at Elon University while also working as Adjunct Professor of Percussion at High Point University.
An active performer and clinician, they have appeared at universities and conferences nationwide, including numerous performances at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) with various chamber ensembles. A passionate advocate for new music, McKayla has recently commissioned and premiered works by composers such as Annika Socolofsky, Ivan Trevino, and Michael Burritt. As an orchestral musician, they have performed with the Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Charlotte Symphony Orchestras, among others. Dr. Phillips holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where they received the 2024–2025 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, and proudly endorses Black Swamp Percussion and Innovative Percussion.
“Black Swamp’s instruments are the go-to choice for both myself and my students... Their consistency, durability, and color options are truly unparalleled”