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Performing Arts Department of Pensacola State College
Music & Theatre
Performing Arts Department of Pensacola State CollegePerforming Arts Department of Pensacola State College
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        The Performing Arts Department at PSC has had a long history of excellence. For more than fifty years, Pensacola State College has produced many outstanding musicians and actors such as Mark Markham, currently accompanist for Jessye Norman, the late Daisy Jackson, former vocal soloist for the U.S. Air Force Band and the U.S. Army Band, Antonio Guiliano, and playwright Nancy Hasty.

        Pensacola State College has educated many outstanding band and choral directors and has prepared others for careers in other areas of music, theatre, and dance.

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        • decorative image of DougHeadshot , Performing Arts welcomes its new band director! 2021-07-27 07:46:23Performing Arts welcomes its new band director!Doug Holsworth received his BA in Music Education in 1985 from the University of Alabama, where he was the Drum Major for the Million Dollar Band. After graduation, he served in the Army as a Signals Intelligence Pilot, holding dual branches as a Captain in Aviation and Military Intelligence.
        • decorative image of ROX_7602-alumni- , Coleman awarded First Degree Diploma in Golden Key International Composition Competition 2021-02-04 13:49:46Coleman awarded First Degree Diploma in Golden Key International Composition Competition
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        Pensacola State College
        Department of Performing Arts
        1000 College Boulevard, Bldg. 8
        Pensacola, Florida 32504

        phone:(850) 484-1800

        toll free: (888) 897-3605

        Email Us

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        Get season tickets, preferred seating and recognition in programs.

        The Performing Arts Department at PSC has a long history of excellence. Since its beginnings in 1957, this department has served thousands of students. PSC graduates can be seen in Broadway plays, Hollywood productions, and recording studios as well as directing church choirs and teaching college, high school and middle school students the joy of music. Members of the Friends of the Performing Arts Affinity Group support our talented students as they pursue their passions. The support of members enables our students to obtain new equipment, to earn a quality education, to practice in functional facilities, and to have exceptional opportunities. Friends of the Performing Arts not only support our students by giving financially, but also by being present at events.

        Each year, the Department hosts the Lyceum Series which presents approximately fifteen events for the community to enjoy. Past guests include Pulitzer Prize winners, Grammy winners, and internationally known artists. From journalist Leonard Pitts to the Saint Louis Brass to Mike Cooley of the Drive-By Truckers, the Lyceum Series brings an eclectic group of presenters to our community. In 2019, artists included the Italian Saxophone Quartet, Second City Improv Troupe, and TheOnion.com co-founder, Scott Dikkers. PSC Performing Arts also presents three piano artists each year with the Kamerman Piano Series and showcases approximately 70 students from the Performing Arts Department.

        In 2019, Friends of Performing Arts helped purchase microphones for the Ashmore Auditorium, to make it possible for six music students to attend PSC for the Fall and Spring terms in the amount of $3,000, and to raise $38,086.21 to support PSC Performing Arts.

      • How To Give

        Interested in supporting PSC Performing Arts?

        Contact:
        Pensacola State College Foundation
        850-484-1560
        Email

        • Secure Online Giving
          Click Here To Give Online
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      • Ashmore Auditoriumdecorative image of ashmore-auditorium-tn-edited-small- ,   2019-06-20 12:49:55
          • Lyceum
      • About Us

        The Performing Arts Department at PSC has had a long history of excellence. For more than fifty years, Pensacola State College has produced many outstanding musicians and actors such as Mark Markham, currently accompanist for Jessye Norman, the late Daisy Jackson, former vocal soloist for the U.S. Air Force Band and the U.S. Army Band, Antonio Guiliano, and playwright Nancy Hasty.

        Pensacola State College has educated many outstanding band and choral directors and has prepared others for careers in other areas of music, theatre, and dance.

        • Faculty & Staff
      • Close
    • Programs
      • Close
      • decorative image of DSC_0126-edited-small-edited-small- ,   2019-06-20 11:05:36Music (AA)
      • decorative image of DSC_2992-select-edited-small-edited-small- ,   2019-06-20 11:04:13Theatre (AA)
      • Close
    • Scholarships
    • News & Events
      • Close
      • Events
      • News
        • decorative image of DougHeadshot , Performing Arts welcomes its new band director! 2021-07-27 07:46:23Performing Arts welcomes its new band director!Doug Holsworth received his BA in Music Education in 1985 from the University of Alabama, where he was the Drum Major for the Million Dollar Band. After graduation, he served in the Army as a Signals Intelligence Pilot, holding dual branches as a Captain in Aviation and Military Intelligence.
        • decorative image of ROX_7602-alumni- , Coleman awarded First Degree Diploma in Golden Key International Composition Competition 2021-02-04 13:49:46Coleman awarded First Degree Diploma in Golden Key International Composition Competition
        • Michael Coleman’s piano arrangements to be featured in video
      • Ticket Information
        • Buy Show Tickets
        • Seating Chart
          Ashmore Auditorium Seating Chart
      • Close
    • Contact Us
      • Close
      • Contact Us


        Pensacola State College
        Department of Performing Arts
        1000 College Boulevard, Bldg. 8
        Pensacola, Florida 32504

        phone:(850) 484-1800

        toll free: (888) 897-3605

        Email Us

      • Map
      • Social
      • Close
    • Give
      • Close
      • Become A Friend of Performing Arts

        Get season tickets, preferred seating and recognition in programs.

        The Performing Arts Department at PSC has a long history of excellence. Since its beginnings in 1957, this department has served thousands of students. PSC graduates can be seen in Broadway plays, Hollywood productions, and recording studios as well as directing church choirs and teaching college, high school and middle school students the joy of music. Members of the Friends of the Performing Arts Affinity Group support our talented students as they pursue their passions. The support of members enables our students to obtain new equipment, to earn a quality education, to practice in functional facilities, and to have exceptional opportunities. Friends of the Performing Arts not only support our students by giving financially, but also by being present at events.

        Each year, the Department hosts the Lyceum Series which presents approximately fifteen events for the community to enjoy. Past guests include Pulitzer Prize winners, Grammy winners, and internationally known artists. From journalist Leonard Pitts to the Saint Louis Brass to Mike Cooley of the Drive-By Truckers, the Lyceum Series brings an eclectic group of presenters to our community. In 2019, artists included the Italian Saxophone Quartet, Second City Improv Troupe, and TheOnion.com co-founder, Scott Dikkers. PSC Performing Arts also presents three piano artists each year with the Kamerman Piano Series and showcases approximately 70 students from the Performing Arts Department.

        In 2019, Friends of Performing Arts helped purchase microphones for the Ashmore Auditorium, to make it possible for six music students to attend PSC for the Fall and Spring terms in the amount of $3,000, and to raise $38,086.21 to support PSC Performing Arts.

      • How To Give

        Interested in supporting PSC Performing Arts?

        Contact:
        Pensacola State College Foundation
        850-484-1560
        Email

        • Secure Online Giving
          Click Here To Give Online
      • Close

Kenneth Phillips is back at Pensacola State to face the music

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Aug212020
PSC alumnus, Kenneth Phillips, is new Performing Arts Director

PSC alumnus is new Performing Arts Director

 

When Pensacola State guitar instructor Joe Stallings formed the College’s first guitar ensemble in 1983, Kenny Phillips was a member.

Now, 37 years later, Kenneth Phillips is back at the College and though the surroundings are familiar, the job is brand new. Phillips is now the head of the Pensacola State College Performing Arts Department.

“It’s a little weird that I’m now my former guitar teacher’s department head,” said Phillips, who recently left his position as Chairperson of Music at Palm Beach Atlantic University, where he was also a music instructor. “We got to talk a bit the other day and do a little reminiscing. It was nice.”

Phillips is doing a lot of reminiscing just days into his new position.

“Two doors down I took music theory,” Phillips said from his office. “I’ve been on the stage here. I sat in this very office as a student, but on the other side of the desk. I’ve got a lot of great memories here. Coming back to Pensacola is a blessing for me and my wife.” (His wife, Elizabeth, is also a music teacher and has already started her new position as the Choral Director at Escambia High School).

Phillips has a doctorate in Music Education from Temple University, a Master of Music Education degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mobile College, in addition to the Associate in Arts degree he earned at Pensacola State College, which was Pensacola Junior College when he attended.

He succeeds former Performing Arts Department Head Don Snowden, who retired this summer after spending 33 years at the College.

“I was already gone when he started here,” Phillips said of Snowden. “But I knew about Don Snowden even before that, when he was teaching (in Baldwin County, Alabama). There’s a strong tradition here at PSC and the Performing Arts Department has a great reputation in town. It’s a respected department and an important part of the amazing arts scene in Pensacola.”

Phillips came to PSC as a voice student and studied piano and guitar. He sang in church choirs and choruses at area schools including Pleasant Grove Elementary, Warrington Middle and Escambia High schools. He also played baritone horn in the Escambia High School Marching Band.

“I’ve always enjoyed singing but I knew I was not going to be a professional singer,” he said. “I love teaching. At Temple, I learned so much about teaching and how we learn music. You study the process of what’s going on in the brain when you’re making these musical connections.”

Phillips hopes to add more features to the PSC Performing Arts Department, which offers associate degrees in music and theater.

“We have been successful as a traditional music school, but we want to expand the offerings,” Phillips said. “We would like to look into commercial music and music production.”

He wants to appeal to songwriters and musicians who might not be in traditional bands or choruses, but still have a desire to create music.

“It could be reaching out to the girl at church who is writing praise songs,” he said. “Or the kid who learned guitar from his best friend and has been practicing in his room. We can’t do it all overnight, but we can do so incrementally. Eventually, we’d like to provide more opportunities to those students who have commercial desires.”

Stallings was only in his second year of teaching when Phillips came to the College as a student.

“I don’t remember a whole lot except that he was a pretty good student,” Stallings said. “We’ve had a chance to talk since he started his new positions here and he made a good impression. It was a comfortable discussion. But the poor guy just started Monday, so it’s kind of early to say much more than that. My professional feeling is that he’s going to do a good job.”

 

— Troy Moon

August 21, 2020
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News
  • decorative image of DougHeadshot , Performing Arts welcomes its new band director! 2021-07-27 07:46:23
    Performing Arts welcomes its new band director!
    July 27, 2021
  • decorative image of ROX_7602-alumni- , Coleman awarded First Degree Diploma in Golden Key International Composition Competition 2021-02-04 13:49:46
    Coleman awarded First Degree Diploma in Golden Key International Composition Competition
    February 4, 2021
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Pensacola State College
Department of Performing Arts
1000 College Boulevard, Bldg. 8
Pensacola, Florida 32504

phone:(850)484-1800
toll free: (888)897-3605
Email Us

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