Staff News: Philip Fillion Appointed New Assistant Director of Music & Organist

WELCOMING PHILIP FILLION

New Assistant Director of Music & Organist

After a national search, Saint Michael and All Angels is pleased to announce the appointment of Philip Fillion as Assistant Director of Music and Organist starting August 3, 2020. Philip will take part in all aspects of our music program, including working with our choirs, playing organ for services, and behind the scenes, planning and collaborating.

Philip comes to Saint Michael from St. Mary’s Church in Auburn, NY where he has served as Director of Music and Organist for three years. During his time at St. Mary’s, the adult choir’s size doubled, and served as choir director to youth in the Schola Cantorum of the church’s associated school, the Tyburn Academy. Previously, during his student days, he has served as Organist at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, as interim organist/choirmaster at Grace Church in Newark, NJ, and as Organist at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton, IL.

A native of Rochester, NY, Philip grew up singing as a boy chorister, and first developed his love for church music from that singing experience. Having studied music at the Eastman Community Music School, he then earned a BM in organ performance from the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, and a MM in organ and sacred music from Westminster Choir College.

The full-time Assistant Director of Music position is a growth of our part-time Organ Scholar position to better support our music ministry as it continues to blossom, especially as our chorister program now expands to include high school students. The position’s creation goes hand in hand with our Organ Scholar Owen Reid’s graduation from SMU this year and subsequent completion of his time at Saint Michael in July. Later this summer, Owen will move to his next position as the 2020-2022 Lloyd Cast Organ Fellow at the Episcopal Cathedral of All Saints in Albany, NY where he will work alongside the Cathedral's renowned Choir of Men and Boys.

I would like to thank Associate Director of Music Meg Harper and Chorister Parent Caroline Trotman for their time, energy, and valuable feedback as part of our search team. Please join us in welcoming Philip, his wife Melody, and 8 month old daughter Mirabel to Saint Michael this summer!

Jonathan Ryan

Director of Music & Organist