As a performer, Mark Phillips, Chili resident and lead singer of local band Twilight, knows how to get a reaction out of the crowd. Sometimes that response can be quite moving. Not too long ago, the band was booked to play on a Spirit of Rochester dinner cruise. As they began to perform, the waves kicked up eliciting an ugly reaction from the crowd. "They were all hanging over the boat getting sick," Phillips said. "The manager just looked at me and said 'You better keep playing so that they can take their mind off their sickness.' " And play they did, just as the band has for the last 15 years. Phillips, who is a 37 year-old graduate of Churchville-Chili High School, has been the lead singer, guitar player, owner and manager of the band ever since his early teenage years. The group is now an extremely popular wedding/corporate band that performs every weekend throughout the year. The other two core members are John Gabriele on keyboard and Terrance Bruce on saxophone. For Phillips, music follows him wherever he goes. The boy who was discovered while performing with his two younger sisters at small, local gatherings now watches other up-and-coming talents at the Schools of the Arts (SOTA) where he serves as the Director of Instruction -- overseeing five departments: music, dance, visual arts, creative writing, drama; and teaching two classes. "There are some great and talented kids here," said Phillips, adding that many SOTA graduates can be found on Broadway or even the silver screen. One SOTA graduate to recently grab the spotlight is actor Taye Diggs. The light began shining on Phillips not too long after he started guitar lessons in third grade, and began playing guitar and singing with his two younger sisters, Jody and Martha. It was then that Bill Halligan, the former head of the music department at Churchville-Chili, discovered him. Halligan approached Phillips' father about working with his young musicians, and from that point forward took the aspiring musician under his wing. "Bill Halligan was like my adopted grandfather," said Phillips. "He taught me about big bands and he brought us to a higher level of music quality." It was Halligan that schooled him in the music of Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. "Bill used to call it the classical music of pop," said Phillips. Recently, Phillips used the lessons he learned to honor his long-time friend. Phillips held a charity concert to raise money for cancer research in Halligan's name. Halligan succumbed to a brain tumor nearly two years ago. In what he characterized as one of his greatest performances, Phillips played for two-and-a-half hours in front of about 1,000 people at SOTA. The benefit raised $2,500. Phillips said he enjoys his interaction with the audience the best. "When I get on stage I'm very focused on what I need to do with the crowd, with the band and with the music," said Phillips. "You want each audience member to feel like they're the only ones in the crowd and you are singing to them." Throughout his career, Phillips has had the opportunity to perform with some well-known entertainers including Michael Bolton, Gloria Gaynor, Jeff Tyzik, Paul Anka, Three Dog Night, Maynard Ferguson and the Four Freshmen. He has also performed in front of some famous audience members including Bill and Hillary Clinton. In 25 years, Twilight has made quite a name for itself throughout the Rochester area. That doesn't quench Phillips' thirst to do more. "I can't remember a time when I haven't been on stage," Phillips said. "I want to do it all - sing, dance, play guitar and perform." Even with all of his aspirations, Phillips said he finds Chili to be the right home and Rochester to be the right market. "If I went to LA or Nashville or New York City I'd have to start all over again and work my way up," said Phillips. "I quickly realized that it is okay to be a big fish in a small pond." |
