PHILIP A. WOODMORE, Ph. D.
Founder & Executive Director
Philip’s passion for music was revealed while he was quite young. Even though he played the Cello and Suzuki Violin his main instrument became the piano. He began taking piano lessons at Townsend Piano School at age five. At age sixteen, he received a fellowship from the University of Missouri-Columbia to study gospel music for a semester. In addition, he has two years of gospel piano and a year of jazz piano training. Although he enjoys most genres of music, most of his formal training and study has been in classical music.
Philip developed a passion for choral music after being an active member of all choral programs at Crestview Middle and Marquette High Schools. He is the founder of the Marquette High School Gospel Choir, and was the president and director of the Saint Louis University Gospel Choir for five years. He began playing the piano at his father’s church at age nine and is presently the choir director of the adult choir and the pianist for the church.
Along with his work with choral music at church and at school, Philip developed a niche in Musical Theatre. Philip has been the accompanist for several shows around the Saint Louis area such as The Children’s Workshop Theatre’s productions of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and Annie; Spotlight Theatre Company’s productions of Oliver, West Side Story, and Jeykll and Hyde. He was the accompanist for Marquette High School’s productions of Guys and Dolls, Grease, Joseph, Fiddler on the Roof, Footloose, Little Shop of Horrors, The King and I, and Bye Bye Birdie. He had the opportunity of traveling with the Bye Bye Birdie cast and crew to the 2004 International Thespian Society Conference in Joplin, Missouri where the show was performed for high school theatre companies from around the state of Missouri. In the fall of 2005 he had the honor of vocal directing his first musical for Marquette High School, Aida, and also in 2005 was the Assistant Vocal Director & Accompanist at the McClure High School Theatre Company’s production of Evita which was performed at 2005 International Thespian Society Conference in Joplin, Missouri. In recent years he has vocal directed Sweeny Todd and West Side Story for McClure High School and was the pit director for Guys and Dolls andHigh School Musical for Marquette High School. Philip has also worked on many other productions for Marquette and McClure such as Peter Pan, Christmas Carol, Fame, Urinetown, Bat Boy, High School Musical, Hairspray, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Into the Woods, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He had the honor of traveling with the cast and crew of Into the Woods to the 2012 ITS Conference in St. Louis, MO.
Philip also developed a passion for singing early in life. He continued vocal training at Saint Louis University under the direction of Dr. Jeral B. Becker and became a member of the Saint Louis University Mastersingers. He performed the role of Raphel in The Creation, King Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and held the lead role of Elijah in Elijah. He was a member of the chorus and understudy for King Balthazar in LyriCo Opera Company’s 2004 production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. He was a member of the Saint Louis American Kantorei Choir, a prestigious group that performs many classical works around the city of Saint Louis under the direction of Dr. Robert Bergt from 2005 - 2007. During the Fall Concert Series of the American Kantorei Philip sang the Soprano and Bass duet Herr dein Mit leidfrom the Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 by Johann Sebastian Bach. During his masters he studied with Rosemarie Calandro at Webster University and during his PhD Philip studied with Steven Tharp at the University of Missouri-Columbia. In 2014 Philip had the honor of performing the role of Coalhouse Walker Jr. for COCA’s 10thAnniversary production of Ragtime.
Philip received his BS/BA in Business Marketing and Music Vocal Performance from Saint Louis University in 2005 and Masters in Music Education from Webster University in 2010. In May 2020, Dr. Woodmore graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with his doctorate in music education. Philip’s research interests are in the changing voice and the middle school singing experience and also transformation in the arts. Philip's dissertation title is Antigone in Ferguson: The experience of seven members of the democratic chorus in a social justice musical production. In September 2018 Philip was published in the Missouri School Music Magazine with an article about keeping our young men in choral programs through their voice change.
In 2005 Philip received the Vocal Music Position at Ferguson and Berkeley Middle Schools in the Ferguson-Florissant School District and in 2006 he accepted the Vocal Music Teaching Position at Crestview Middle School in the Rockwood School District where he is currently teaching. He began working for the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in 1999 as an accompanist for various summer music theatre camps. He has been an accompanist for COCA’s 2001 summer production of Into the Woods Junior and 2004 spring production at Rossman School of Honk Junior. He was the vocal director and accompanist for COCA’s summer productions of The Boyfriend,Annie Jr,, Once on This Island,Seussical the Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat,Aida, Little Shop of Horrors, the Saint Louis non-equity premier of Legally Blonde, and the Missouri State premier of In the Heights., Bring it On, Mirette,Songs for a New World and is currently working on COCA’s 2015 summer production of Memphis with esteemed director Duane Martin Foster who was in the original Broadway cast of Ragtime. In 2007 he received the position as Coordinator of Voice at COCA and is currently in charge of COCA’s voice program. Philip is a vocal coach to many students around the Saint Louis area and is currently focusing on preparing students for college auditions. In 2010 Philip was named director of the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department Choir and has work on many projects with SLMPD Choir throughout the Saint Louis area including a collaboration concert at Fee Fee Baptist Church. In April 2014 Philip was asked to lead a group of singers at the Installment Ceremony of the new President at Northern Arizona University. Since his time last spring Philip has been named the director of the newly founded NAU gospel choir and will be working with this choir this year to prepare the university’s first Black History Month Gospel Music Celebration.
In August 2016 Bryan Doerries with Theater of War Productions asked Philip to compose an original score for a translated version of Sophocles’ Antigone called Antigone in Ferguson that Bryan presented in Ferguson, MO on September 17, 2016. The Onassis Foundation granted Bryan and Philip funds for a premiere performance of Antigone in Ferguson in New York City in October of 2016. Following its inaugural performance, Antigone in Ferguson has performed in Camden, Maine, Baltimore, Maryland, Athens, Greece, Brooklyn, New York, Hanover, New Hampshire, Williamstown, Massachusetts, Worchester, Massachusetts, and now our first run of Antigone in Ferguson at the Harlem Stage in Harlem, New York September 2018! Doerries and Woodmore also collaborated on a project surrounding the final sermon of Dr. Martin Luther King, The Drum Major Instinct, which premiered at the BRIC in Brooklyn, New York on April 30, 2017. Following its debut performance, The Drum Major Instinct has performed in St. Louis, Missouri, Baltimore, Maryland and Athens, Greece. Philip was also asked to created music for a Frederick Douglass speech which premiered in Staten Island, New York in March of 2018. In 2018 Antigone In Ferguson was funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for a 5-week run at the Off-Broadway theater, the Gatehouse Harlem Stage in Harlem, New York followed by a 10-week run at the St. Ann and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, New York.
Woodmore joined the Muny family for the 2020 summer season and he is looking
forward to a great partnership as the Music Director for Muny Kids for many seasons to
come. During the pandemic Phil took the opportunity to document his journey through
Antigone in Ferguson in his first book, “Antigone in Ferguson: A Journey Through the
Transformative Power of Music,” available on Amazon and his website. This past
summer Phil was named as one of the newest board members for Prison Performing
Arts in St. Louis, MO and also sits on the board of Music Service Learning. This fall, Phil
took on another passion of counseling, beginning a masters in psychology at Arizona
State University.
Philip is thankful for the many musical opportunities he has been afforded and continues to trust God as he serves Him.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
University of Missouri-Columbia, MO, 2020
PhD in Music Education
Areas of Concentration: Music Education, Choral Conducting and Vocal Pedagogy
Research Interest: Male Changing Voice and Antigone in Ferguson, transformative choirs
Music Education Advisor: Dr. Wendy Sims
Conducting Coach: Dr. R. Paul Crabb
Vocal Coach: Prof. Steven Tharp
Dissertation Title- Antigone in Ferguson: The experience of seven members of the democratic chorus in a social justice musical production
(Submitted May 2020)
Webster University, Webster Groves, MO, 2009
Masters in Music Education
Music Education Advisor: Dr. Kathryn Bower
Vocal Coach: Rosemarie Calandro
Saint Louis University, 2005
B.S. in Business Marketing
B.A. in Music (Vocal Performance)
Vocal Coach: Dr. Jeral Becker
Teaching Experience
College Teaching Experience
University of Missouri-Columbia, MO (2013-2014)
School of Music
Basic Singing Skills- Instructor of record
Vocal Coach- Instructor of record
MU Gospel Choir- Director
MU University Singers- Teaching Assistant
MU Choral Union- Teaching Assistant
Northern Arizona University- Flagstaff, AZ (2015-Present)
NAU Gospel Choir- Choir Director
Artist in Residence for the NAU Music Department
Artist in Residence for the Black State of Arizona
Public School Teaching Experience
Rockwood School District (2006-Present)
Choir teacher for Crestview Middle School
Ferguson-Florissant School District (2005-2006)
Choir teacher for Berkley and Ferguson Middle Schools
SLSMEA 7th and 8th Grade Honor Choir (January 2014)
Clinician and Guest Conductor
Collins Academy, Chicago, IL (December 2014)
Clinician and Guest Accompanist
Festus High School (March, 2017)
Clinician and vocal coach for cast of South Pacific
Community Teaching Experience
The Phil Woodmore Singers (2016-Present)
Director
Phil Woodmore and Friends an Evening of Gospel Music (March 2015)
Director and event organizer
Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department Choir (2010-Present)
Choir Director and Musician
Melody of Praise Gospel Choir, Saint Louis University (2000-2005)
President and Director
Marquette High School Gospel Choir (1998-2000)
Founder and Director
Church Teaching Experience
Emmanuel Baptist Church, Brooklyn, NY (July 2015)
Guest Director and Musician for church services
Trinity Community Church (December 2010-Present)
Pianist and Choir Director
New Hope Baptist Church (1997- October 2010)
Pianist and Choir Director
Abiding Branch Community Church (1992-1997)
Pianist
Musical Theatre Teaching Experience
Center of Creative Arts, COCA (1999-2017)
Designed and implanted voice curriculum for the organization (2007)
Music Instructor and Accompanist for summer camps and fall and spring classes (1999-Present)
Coordinator of Voice (2008-2017)
Artist Director of Allegro Music Company (2008-2017)
Artist Director of Performance Music Company (2014-2015)
Artist Director of Chamber Ensemble (2014-2015)
Musical Director, Pianist and Pit Conductor
The Boyfriend (2005) Annie (2006) Once on This Island (2007) Seussical (2008)
Joseph (2009) Aida (2010) Little Shop of Horrors (2011) Non-equity Premiere of Legally Blonde (2012) Missouri State Premiere of In the Heights (2013), 10th Anniversary Production Ragtime (2014), Missouri State Premiere of Bring it On (2015) Memphis (2016)
Musical Theater Performances in Saint Louis Area (1996-Present)
Rehearsal and performance accompanist for several shows and multiple production companies such as Children’s Workshop Theater and Spotlight Productions
Marquette High School Theatre Department
Guys and Dolls, Pianist (1997)
Joseph, Pianist (1998)
Grease, Pianist (1999)
Brigadoon, Actor and Rehearsal Accompanist (2000)
Fiddler on the Roof, Pianist (2001)
Footloose, Pianist (2002)
Little Shop of Horrors, Pianist (2003)
Bye Bye Birdie-Band Director, Pianist (2004)*
Aida- Vocal Director and Pit Conductor (2005)
High School Musical- Vocal Director, Pianist and Pit Conductor (2007)
Guys and Dolls- Pianist and Pit Conductor (2008)
Peter Pan, Pianist (2009)
Thoroughly Modern Millie, Pianist and Pit Conductor (2010)
Hairspray, Vocal Director and Pit Conductor (2011)
Grease, Vocal Director and Pit Conductor (2012)
Into the Woods, Vocal Director and Pit Conductor (2013)*
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Vocal Director and Pit Conductor (2015)
*Production selected for the International Thespian Society State Conference
McCluer High School Theatre Department
Evita, Vocal Director and Pianist (2006)*
Sweeny Todd, Vocal Director and Pianist (2006)
West Side Story, Pianist (2007)
Jesus Christ Superstar, Vocal Director and Pianist (2008)
Urinetown, Vocal Director (2010)
Bat Boy, Vocal Director (2010)
The Wiz, Vocal Director (2011)
*Production selected for the at the International Thespian Society State Conference
Private Vocal Coach (2006-Present)
Private vocal coach to many students in the Saint Louis area, mostly preparing students for colligate auditions in voice and musical theater and prepping students for auditions around the Saint Louis area.
New York Voice Studio (2015-Present)
Private voice studio in Midtown Manhattan to service students needing coaching for auditions and vocal projects in the New York area
Vocal Master Classes (2012-Present)
Collaborated with several master artists on a master class entitled “Acting the Song”. This course prepares students to perform musical theater pieces with outstanding acting and singing technique.
Performance Experience
The Drum Major Instinct (2017-Present)
Composed original score for Dr. King’s final sermon before he was assassinated, The Drum Major Instinct. The Drum Major Instinct premiered in Brooklyn at the BRIC on April 30, 2017 and is now touring the country. The Drum Major Instinct premiered international at the Starvos Niarchos Foundation Conference on Wednesday, June 20, 2018.
Antigone in Ferguson (2016-Present)
Composed original score for a translated version of the Sophocles’ play Antigone which premiered in Ferguson, MO on September 17, 2016 and is now on a national tour from 2017-2018.
Peabody Energy Leaders in Education Event (2011-2015)
Pianist, soloist and director for Allegro Music Company that performed during event
COCA’s 10th Anniversary Production of Ragtime (2014)
Performed the role of Coalhouse Walker Jr.
Webster University (2008-2010)
Elijah in Elijah (Summer Sings)
Baritone soloist for many performances of the University choir
American Cantori (2005-2007)
Baritone soloist and Chorus member
LyriCo Opera Company (December 2004)
Understudy for King Balthazar and Chorus Member of Amahl and the Night Visitors
Mid-West Opera Company (2004-2005)
Baritone Soloist
College of Allied Health Sciences (Fall 2004, Spring 2005, Summer 2005)
Commencement Pianist and Soloist
Saint Louis University Master Singers
Performed the role of King Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors (Fall 2003)
Played the role of Elijah in Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah (Spring 2004)
Baritone soloist for Joseph Haydn’s Creation (Spring 2005)
Plaza Frontenac (2001-2004)
Paid Pianist
Honors & Activities
Missouri Statewide Gospel Choir Conference 2004 – Chairman (November 2004)
Black Student Alliance Annual Charity Fashion Show – Male Coordinator (2002), Director (2004)
Black History Month Citywide Talent Show - Chairman (February 2002, February 2005)
Black Student Alliance - Academic Chair and Vice President (2003)
Calloway Scholar - Keynote Speaker at Annual Scholar Luncheon (Fall 2003)
International Student Federation Banquet - Master of Ceremonies (Spring 2003)
Recipient of the Kathy Humphrey Diversity Award (November 2004)
Traveled with Crestview Middle School Honor Choir to perform in the Lincoln Center in New York, New York (2009)
Traveled with Crestview Middle School Honor Choir to compete in a Regional Festival in Chicago, IL (2010, 2012)
Traveled with Crestview Middle School Honor Choir to compete in a Regional Festival in Branson, MO (2011, 2013)
Nominated for Teacher of the Year for Crestview Middle School (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014)
Professional Memberships
American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)
Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA)