Phill Ward is a musician, sound designer and sound engineer working in both music and theatre. With 30 years of experience in all guitar styles from Spanish classical to industrial metal, he also doubles on bass (electric, 5 string, fretless and upright), drum kit, hand percussion, voice, mandolin, uke… He is a music producer and engineer with over 15 years’ experience in studios and freelance, as well as a theatre sound designer and live sound engineer.
With The Royal Shakespeare Company he was musical director for Hull City of Culture’s The Hypocrite. He played guitar for their UK tour of As You Like It, Taming of the Shrew and Measure for Measure, and for their international King and Country Tour. In Stratford he played Spanish guitar on The Rover and has deputised on numerous other shows there.
With Shakespeare’s Globe he played guitar, mandolin and perc on Bartholomew Fair in the Sam Wannamaker Playhouse; with Kiln Ensemble he collaborated on and toured the award-wining heavy metal theatrical gig The Furies, among other shows; and with Theatre Alibi he toured with guitar, loop station and voice on the successful Cabbage Heart.
As a sound designer he has worked with Manchester International Festival on Utopolis (as associate), with Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (as both a PSE and as a mentor), Birmingham School of Acting, Out Of Chaos, Southampton Nuffield, Francesca Millican-Slater and Babakas.
As a producer and mix engineer Phill collaborates with Rebel Without A Coat, This Battle Born, Far Flown Falcon, Sylvia (as a founding member) Narwhals, Tom Briggs, UUOO, and many more. He has assisted Jon Cotton for Poseidon Music on projects ranging from albums to film scores, as well as working for a period managing Artisan Audio in Birmingham.
As a session musician Phill has worked with The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Mason Noise, Katy Rose Bennett, Jo Hamilton, The Alternative Dubstep Orchestra, Armonico Consort, 360, Shady Bard, EIF and Campbell Bass.
As a live sound engineer Phill works with The Destroyers, Bonfire Radicals and Poseidon Music as well as on various smaller gigs.
When not collaborating he’s live looping on his youtube channel.
Phill is experienced in teaching all styles of guitar. He is a member of the Association of Sound Designers as well as the Musicians’ Union.
He trained at the University of Birmingham where he graduated with a First Class BMus Honours degree. Classical guitar tutors include Mark Ashford and Mark Eden at Birmingham Conservatoire and studio composition lecturers include Jonty Harrison and Scott Wilson.
He is not to be confused with Phil Ward of musicandmiscellany.com who is a contributor to Sound on Sound magazine and based in Brighton.
Phill is based Manchester, UK.
Phill Ward 