Brad Phillips is a multi-instrumentalist from southeast Michigan. Holding both bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, Brad's appearances as a fiddler, violinist, mandolinist, guitarist, arranger, composer, producer, and teacher have made him one of the area’s most sought-after acoustic musicians. He has appeared with the likes of Jeff Daniels, The Verve Pipe, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Joshua Davis, The Elders, May Erlewine, Seth Bernard, and Drew De Four, and he toured for ten years with Celtic super-group Millish. A resident artist at the Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea, Brad also works as a sound designer and musical director. He teaches Roots Music & Improvisation for Strings at The U of M String Preparatory Academy, and has several performance projects of his own in addition to new acoustic group The Roots Music Strings. Brad and The Roots Music Strings come to The Ark with a new release, "Breaking Free."