Born in Canterbury, Kent, UK in 1979 Phillip received a Foundation Scholarship to study his Bachelor of Music Degree with Julian Anderson at the Royal College of Music, graduating with First Class Honours in July 2002. Phillip returned to read his MMus with a scholarship supported by a Constant & Kit Lambert Award, supported by the AHRB, Countess of Munster Trust, Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust and Mrs. Manja Leigh, graduating with an overall Distinction in July 2004. Phillip was awarded the Worshipful Company of Musicians Silver Medal - the oldest award at the RCM dating back to the 1880's - for overall excellence.
Phillip has won numerous awards including the highly esteemed Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Award 2003. Phillip was also the youngest finalists in the prestigious Toru Takemitsu International Composition Competition 2003 with his first orchestral piece Nights Bright Days. Two Reflections on Milton for solo piano was selected by the ISCM International Jury for the ISCM World Music Days 2005, in Zagreb. Phillip was awarded the prestigious Uchida Fellowship 2004-5 (from the Japan Foundation) in July 2004, a scholarship awarded to one artist from Europe for a three-month period of study in Japan. Phillip will study Gagaku music, traditional Japanese court music, in Japan during 2005. Phillip has worked with the Philharmonia Orchestra for the 'Music of Today' Series in collaboration with the National Gallery for a project based on the Gallery’s paintings with subsequent concerts at the Royal Festival Hall and the National Gallery. In 2003 Phillip was chosen by the British Council as the only young composer from Britain to collaborate on a cross-media project with the ensemble 'Psappha' culminating in two large multimedia concerts in Venezuela.
Phillip's music has been performed in Britain, America and Asia by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Britten Sinfonia, Psappha, Duke Quartet, Chroma, Sinfonia 21, Finzi Singers, Contemporary Consort and Joanna MacGregor with performances at the Royal Festival Hall, Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, Wigmore Hall, Barbican, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, St. John's Smith Square, the National Gallery and at the Cheltenham Festival, Aldeburgh Festival and Spitalfields Festival, part of the 'Music of Today' Series and with broadcasts by BBC Television, BBC Radio 3 and NHK Radio.
Phillip's music is represented by the British Information Centre's "New Voices" Scheme. For more information please visit: www.phillipneilmartin.com