CIM Academy student Travis Phillips wins game-changing grant from Equity Arc

A nice new instrument is likely in store for a CIM Academy student, courtesy of Equity Arc.   

In May, Musical Pathway Fellow Travis Phillips received word that he’d earned a grant of up to $14,000 to replace his current double bass with a new one.  

Mark Hunsberger, Equity Arc program director, said Phillips “stood out in a highly competitive pool” and that the Cincinnati-based service organization was “truly impressed” by Phillips’ “musical accomplishments” and “commitment to a professional performance career.”  

The grant comes at a pivotal moment for Phillips. A rising senior at University School, the student of Tracy Rowell said he will soon audition for college, conservatory, and other high-level music programs, and that a new instrument – paired with a new bow – will likely make an enormous difference.  

Not that his old instrument hasn’t served him well. On the contrary, Phillips’ current bass has helped him win a seat in the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and the Pathways Orchestra each of the last four years. Through the latter program, Phillips has enjoyed side-by-side training with members of the Chicago, Nashville, and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestras.  

“Seeing how much knowledge those players have, and then having them pass it on to us, it was very cool,” Phillips said. “It was an experience I wouldn’t get anywhere else.” 

Much the same can be (and is) said about CIM, where Phillips has been a Musical Pathway Fellow since age 12 – seven years after selecting the double bass in an effort to overshadow his violin-playing brother.   

Phillips, a resident of Pepper Pike, said he might have taken private lessons anywhere. Only at CIM, though, did he also get to study music theory, perform in ensembles, and make friends with other like-minded young people.  

“I’ve really loved being part of MPF,” Phillips said, echoing his comments about Equity Arc. “It’s given me a lot of great opportunities I wouldn’t have had at other places.” 

Opportunities like MPF and Equity Arc will remain critical for Phillips, if his vision for life after graduation is to become reality.  

Whether music plays a leading or secondary role in college, Phillips isn’t yet sure, given his other interest in biomedical engineering. Either way, though, he’ll be studying and making music at a high level, looking for ways to put his talent and training – and new instrument – to the best possible use.  

“I can’t imagine a world where I’m not making music,” Phillips said. “That’s definitely my goal for the future.”