About Me

Phil Thompson is a composer, pianist, and teacher based in New York City. He specializes in concert music for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, and vocalists, and hopes to gain experience writing for orchestra. Phil’s music combines Romantic thematicism and contrapuntal practices with a modern harmonic and coloristic palette. He considers rhythm and metric modulation to be the foundation of his work. Collaboration is key to any composer’s process, and Phil is always happy to connect with performers and ensembles. For more about his skillset and offerings, please see the SERVICES page.

Originally from Spokane, Washington, Phil received Bachelor’s degrees in Music and Creative Writing from Fordham University, and currently studies in the Juilliard Extension Division. After earning a Certificate in Composition at Juilliard, he hopes to continue postgraduate studies in composition.

Although composition is his primary focus, Phil works as a professional pianist. Primarily a liturgical musician, he also has experience with vocal and jazz accompaniment, and taught a studio of twelve beginning/intermediate students in Spokane before returning to New York City in 2022.

Beyond his own work, Phil tries to listen to as much classical music as he can - he is willing to drop anything at any time to attend any concert programming any work by Thomas Adès. He is an avid reader and filmgoer, an enthusiast of Seattle sports and Gonzaga basketball, and a regular attendee of his friends’ improv and stand-up comedy shows. He currently works as an assistant to Juilliard’s Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer and is seeking opportunities to teach and play around town.