Phillip Payton

Violinist/violist Philip Payton is a member of the American Symphony, American Modern Ensemble, Furiant Trio, and Vital String Quartet. He also performs in Alarm Will Sound, American Ballet Theater, Colour of Music, Harlem Chamber Players, New Jersey Symphony, Nu Deco Ensemble, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Santa Fe Opera, Sarasota Orchestra, and several others.

Philip has performed/recorded with wide variety of artists including JAY-Z and Alica Keys, Billy Joel, The Who, Eagles, Tyler The Creator, Billy Porter, Pavarotti, and several others. He currently performs in The Music Man on Broadway and performed in several Broadway shows, including as concertmaster of Hello Dolly starring Bette Midler. He played on the Grammy Award cast albums of West Side Story and Kinky Boots, the studio orchestras for The Lion King 2019, Da Five Bloods, the upcoming Creed III, and several others.

Philip graduated from the University of Michigan and the Cleveland Institute of Music and was a fellow at the New World Symphony as co-concertmaster/co-principal second. He teaches chamber music and private lessons at Juilliard's MAP program, private lessons at Juilliard Pre- College, violin at the Gray Charter School in Newark, is a guest coach at the New World Symphony, and coached for the Sphinx Organization’s National Alliance for Audition Support.