Captain Philip Tappan commissioned into the United States Army upon graduation from the Officer Candidate School (Distinguished Honor Graduate), Fort Moore, Georgia, in 2015. He has served in the 2nd Infantry Division Band; the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” as Associate Bandmaster; the 1st Cavalry Division Band as Executive Officer; the U.S. Army School of Music as Commander and Director of Training; and currently serves as Deputy Commander of the West Point Band at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York.
Captain Tappan deployed twice to Afghanistan as the officer in charge of the U.S. Forces Afghanistan Band.
Prior to his military service, Captain Tappan held numerous conducting posts, including the West Shore Symphony, Capitol Opera Harrisburg, SUNY Fredonia orchestra and opera program, and the Trinity Episcopal Church Choir. He also spent one year abroad in the Republic of Georgia volunteering as an English as a Second Language teacher.
Captain Tappan’s compositions and arrangements have been performed at the Kennedy Center, the U.S. Embassy at Kabul, Afghanistan, the Sugar Hill Salon, and numerous universities across the United States. He has led numerous calls for scores, reading sessions, and recordings of new music in his various assignments.
Captain Tappan holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Composition from Messiah College; a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the State University of New York at Fredonia; and an Executive MBA from Quantic University. He is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) through the Project Management Institute (PMI).
His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster); Army Commendation Medal (with “C” Device and Oak Leaf Cluster); Army Achievement Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster); National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Korean Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal; Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal; and the NATO Defense Medal. He has earned the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Silver); the Norwegian Foot March Badge (Bronze), and the Basic Army Instructor Badge.
Captain Tappan hails from Saratoga Springs, New York, and is married to the music director and pianist Refiye Tappan. Together they own an unbearably handsome Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Finzi.
