Mr Phillip Collins

Phill has been largely responsible for the conception and ethos of the jazz and popular music option on the WIT BA music degree course in 2005. In his role as a lecturer at WIT (now SETU), he has devised much of the structure and content of the academic jazz and popular music element of the degree. Phill teaches jazz history, progressive improvisation and ensemble workshops and a popular music composition/arranging module, focusing on industry facing skills for musicians. Phill has a wealth of experience in teaching individual piano students and has supported many students from 1st year through to their final performances, with a very high percentage going on to have successful careers in music. Also active in the music school; Phill teaches second level students and adults in jazz/popular, and classical piano.

Research Masters in composition, completed in 2010 and awarded by the WIT.

A versatile and much sought-after session musician, Phill has been employed in a wide range of gigs and musical projects as both jazz pianist, keyboardist and, occasionally, classical and musical theatre accompanist. As well as being involved in several notable ensembles, his own projects have included the Opus Pocus Big Band; The Phill Collins Trio - an original modern music ensemble, The Red Hot Jazz Trio - specialising in well known jazz and funk repertoire, and his most recent undertaking - the Waterford Jazz Weekender; an initiative to promote jazz in the city of Waterford.