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LARCHMONT, N.Y. Bob Phillips' experience in the Mamaroneck High School music department has inspired him take his passion for music and turn it into a career.
Phillips, 16, is a member of the swing choir, jazz band "B" and orchestra. He said he wants to be a music teacher, a profession he has grown to admire thanks to his own music teachers at MHS, especially retired orchestra teacher Alex Romanov.
"My old orchestra teacher who left last year, Mr. Romanov, was an amazing musician and he's the one that really showed me I love music and what 's so great about it," said Phillips.
The Larchmont resident also pointed out Dina Madden, choir director and music coordinator for the Mamaroneck School District, as a major influence on his love for music. Madden, along with a crowd of parents and friends, said he was blown away by Phillips' funky performance of "Blame it on the Boogie" at the vocal and band ensemble concert Nov. 30.
While Phillips said he enjoyed his featured role with the swing choir, he only considers singing a secondary musical activity. "Guitar is my main instrument, voice is probably my second," he said. "I'm really into music and I really want to pursue it as a career, adding that he thinks hed like to go to college to be a music teacher.
Phillips has been playing the guitar since he was 7-years-old. His uncle played it, who he thought was cool, so he began to play it too. "When I was 7, I picked up my first guitar and I just started floating around with it," he said. "When I got into middle school, I decided I wanted to take lessons. After that, I've been building up more and more instruments and trying to experiment."
After school, he takes a jazz guitar lesson, a basic fundamentals of guitar lesson, and voice and piano lessons. Additionally, he takes an AP music theory class. "I just want to make sure I keep playing music and keep getting myself more involved in the music department, because we have a great music department at MHS."
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