Philip Johnson currently serves as an Assistant Band Director and Percussion Instructor at Edinburg North High School and B.L. Garza Middle School where he directs all percussion activities in the Mighty Cougar Marching Band, 5 concert bands, private lessons, percussion ensembles and the ENPercussion Indoor Group.  He is the current Principal Percussionist with the Valley Symphony Orchestra in McAllen, TX; a position he has held since 2003.  In addition, he is a performing member of the Unified Percussion Ensemble of the Rio Grande Valley, has been a recurring featured soloist with the VSO, and has been the percussionist for several touring shows such as Cirque du Soleil and Il Divo.  He was a member of the faculty at the University of Texas Longhorn Music Camp for 11 years and has been an Endorsed Educator with Innovative Percussion Inc. since 2013.

Philip Johnson received his Bachelor of Music from Illinois Wesleyan University with a major in percussion performance and a minor in piano.  He received his Masters of Music from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University with an emphasis on marimba.  He has attended numerous summer seminars and schools including: The Aspen Music School, Brevard Music School, Leigh Howard Stevens Marimba Seminar, Oberlin Percussion Institute, and the Center for World Music in Bali, Indonesia.  His list of distinguished teachers include William Moersch, Jonathan Haas, Leigh Howard Stevens, Allen Otte, Michael Rosen, Gordon Stout and Jane Varella.

Mr. Johnson was born in Dayton, OH and started his High School teaching career as a percussion instructor at band camps.  Currently he has taught HS level percussion for more than 28 years in Ohio, Illinois, Maryland and Texas.  Since arriving in south Texas in 2002, his students and ensembles have consistently earned Superior ratings at University Interscholastic League events including marching band, concert band, solo and ensemble.