McKayla Phillips is a dynamic North Carolina-based percussionist and educator, currently serving as Adjunct Professor of Percussion at Elon University and High Point University. An active performer and clinician, McKayla has appeared as a guest artist, adjudicator, and clinician at universities, high schools, and conferences nationwide. They have also performed extensively at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC).
McKayla earned a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where they were recently recognized with the 2024–2025 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award from the College of Visual and Performing Arts. They hold a Master of Music degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, as well as dual Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Music Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
An advocate for new music, McKayla has recently commissioned and/or premiered works by composers including Annika Socolofsky, Nick Werth, Russell Wharton, Von Hansen, Ivan Trevino, Michael Burritt, Robert Honstein, Katherine Bodor, Rob Rankin, and Isaac Pyatt. As a chamber musician, they have performed at Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) with InBloom Percussion (2019), the Indiana University Percussion Ensemble (2018), the PAS All-Star Ensemble (2015), and the UNCG Percussion Ensemble (2015). As an orchestral musician, McKayla has also performed with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra, Western Piedmont Symphony, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Piedmont Wind Symphony, North Carolina Brass Band, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Salisbury Symphony Orchestra, Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, Davidson SCORE, Piedmont Opera, and the Greensboro Opera.
McKayla Phillips proudly endorses Black Swamp Percussion, Vic Firth, Balter Mallets, and Zildjian. For more information, visit their website at www.mckaylaphillips.com
McKayla earned a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where they were recently recognized with the 2024–2025 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award from the College of Visual and Performing Arts. They hold a Master of Music degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, as well as dual Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Music Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
An advocate for new music, McKayla has recently commissioned and/or premiered works by composers including Annika Socolofsky, Nick Werth, Russell Wharton, Von Hansen, Ivan Trevino, Michael Burritt, Robert Honstein, Katherine Bodor, Rob Rankin, and Isaac Pyatt. As a chamber musician, they have performed at Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) with InBloom Percussion (2019), the Indiana University Percussion Ensemble (2018), the PAS All-Star Ensemble (2015), and the UNCG Percussion Ensemble (2015). As an orchestral musician, McKayla has also performed with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra, Western Piedmont Symphony, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Piedmont Wind Symphony, North Carolina Brass Band, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Salisbury Symphony Orchestra, Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, Davidson SCORE, Piedmont Opera, and the Greensboro Opera.
McKayla Phillips proudly endorses Black Swamp Percussion, Vic Firth, Balter Mallets, and Zildjian. For more information, visit their website at www.mckaylaphillips.com
