PHILLIP SCOTT WYANT, DMA
Professional Biographies

PREFERRED PROGRAM CREDIT

Dr. Phillip S. Wyant

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Phillip Scott Wyant, DMA, is Director of Bands at Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School, where he serves as the eighth director in the program's nearly hundred-year history. He directs the junior and senior high concert ensembles, the Bison Marching Band, junior high marching and jazz bands, and the Thunderin' Herd Jazz Band. His research examines occupational identity among K-12 band directors. Wyant is secretary of PMEA District 4 and maintains an active musical life as a pianist and percussionist.

STANDARD BIOGRAPHY

Phillip Scott Wyant, DMA, is Director of Bands at Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School and the eighth director in the program's nearly hundred-year history. He directs the junior and senior high concert ensembles, the Bison Marching Band, junior high marching and jazz bands, and the Thunderin' Herd Jazz Band, while also coaching student-led chamber ensembles. Students under his leadership have advanced to Pennsylvania All-State ensembles and qualified for NAfME regional-level ensembles.

Wyant earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education from Boston University, the Master of Music in Wind Conducting from Messiah College, and the Bachelor of Science in Education in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His conducting development included private study with Jack Stamp, Jason Worzbyt, and Shannon Kitelinger, as well as symposium study with Bradley Genevro, Craig Kirchhoff, and Mallory Thompson.

His research examines occupational identity among K-12 band directors, including the distinct role of Podium Identity. Wyant is secretary of District 4 of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. In addition to his work as a conductor and educator, he serves as pianist for the Clearfield junior and senior high choirs and performs percussion and drum set for Clearfield drama productions.

FULL BIOGRAPHY

Phillip Scott Wyant, DMA, is a conductor, music educator, and researcher who believes that music can put everything else on hold, creating a space in which musicians and audiences can listen, connect, and become fully present. Equally at home conducting instrumental musicians at any stage of development, he approaches the podium as a place where musical artistry, education, leadership, and community meet.

Wyant has served the Clearfield Area School District continuously since 2015, working across its two buildings. He began in the district's K-6 building as Director of Elementary Bands and Sixth Grade Choir. In 2023, he was appointed Director of Bands for grades 7-12, becoming the eighth director in the program's nearly hundred-year history. He directs the junior and senior high concert ensembles, the Bison Marching Band, junior high marching and jazz bands, and the Thunderin' Herd Jazz Band, while also coaching student-led chamber ensembles. He also teaches Intro to Music and American Popular Music for dual-enrollment college credit through Mount Aloysius, along with Music in Cinema, and has previously taught Digital Music.

Under Wyant's leadership, Clearfield students have advanced to Pennsylvania All-State ensembles and qualified for NAfME regional-level ensembles. His work emphasizes musical independence, ensemble connection, and programming that brings contemporary voices into conversation with established wind-band literature. He also serves as steward of the Bison Marching Band's storied tradition of excellence, which includes repeated invitations to the 500 Festival Parade in Indianapolis, as well as award-winning appearances in the Kentucky Derby Parade, Apple Blossom Festival Parade, New York Veterans Day Parade, Saint Patrick's Day Parade, and Main Street, USA at Walt Disney World.

Wyant earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education from Boston University's College of Fine Arts in 2026. He holds a Master of Music in Wind Conducting from Messiah College and a Bachelor of Science in Education in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated summa cum laude from the Robert E. Cook Honors College. His conducting development included private study with Jack Stamp, Jason Worzbyt, and Shannon Kitelinger, along with symposium study with Bradley Genevro, Craig Kirchhoff, and Mallory Thompson.

His dissertation, Elementary Band Directors' Occupational Identity: An Exploratory Study, examined how teaching context shapes the identities educators hold as teachers, musicians, conductors, and directors. The study identified Podium Identity as a distinct dimension of occupational identity and considered implications for teacher preparation, assignment design, and educator retention. In 2026, Wyant was elected secretary of District 4 of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association.

Beyond the podium, Wyant serves as pianist for the Clearfield junior and senior high choirs and performs percussion and drum set for Clearfield drama productions. His theatrical credits include The Pirates of Penzance, Crazy for You, Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Addams Family, Tarzan, Anastasia, Matilda, Mamma Mia!, and Guys and Dolls.

CONTACT

Phillip Scott Wyant, DMA
Email: phillipswyant@gmail.com
Website: https://phillip-wyant.fast-hawk-1434.chatgpt.site
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5377-9800
Dissertation: https://hdl.handle.net/2144/53033

These biographies may be edited for length while preserving factual meaning.
