Baylor School of Music Professor Selected as Fulbright U.S. Scholar
Cello professor Philip Borter, D.M.A., will pursue research in Brazil on the modern cello repertoire
Philip Borter, D.M.A., assistant professor of cello in the School of Music at Baylor University.
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Momentum from Baylor University’s success in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program has extended to Baylor faculty as Philip Borter, D.M.A., assistant professor of cello in the Baylor School of Music, has been selected for the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar award to Brazil. Borter is Baylor’s sixth faculty Fulbright recipient since 2022 and the first for the School of Music in 25 years.
The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program offers more than 400 awards in more than 135 countries for U.S. citizens to teach, conduct research and carry out professional projects around the world. As a Fulbright Scholar, Borter – who leads the cello studio at the Baylor School of Music and maintains an active performing career – will pursue research on the modern Brazilian cello repertoire during a two-month residency this fall in Rio de Janeiro.
“I am deeply honored to have been selected as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar for 2025-2026. The opportunity to pursue research in Brazil on modern cello repertoire is a long-held dream, and I’m thrilled to represent Baylor on this international stage,” Borter said. “I’m especially grateful for the support and encouragement I’ve received from Dean Sanders and all my colleagues in the School of Music. Fulbright awards are quite rare in our field, and I feel particularly proud that this recognition brings attention to the important work being done within our music community.”
“Dr. Philip Borter’s selection as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar is a tremendous honor and a reflection of the artistic and scholarly excellence we value at Baylor,” said School of Music Dean Kevin Sanders, D.M.A. “His work in Brazilian cello repertoire advances our global engagement – particularly in Latin America – and brings rich cultural insight directly into our students’ learning experience. We’re proud to support him as he shares this important work on the world stage.”
Connecting a professional milestone with artistic pursuit
The Fulbright award serves as a “professional milestone” for Borter, but it also connects to his long-standing artistic pursuit: a fascination with the expressive quality of Brazilian music, especially the way it merges classical techniques with rhythmic vitality and melodic nuance drawn from Brazil’s popular and folk traditions. At the heart of Borter’s research project is the choro genre, an instrumental tradition often described as Brazil’s first urban popular music.
“It’s rich with rhythmic complexity, lyrical counterpoint and deep cultural roots, and it continues to shape how modern Brazilian composers write for classical instruments,” Borter said. “All three of the works I’ll be studying in Rio de Janeiro are composed in dialogue with the choro tradition, blending its idiomatic language with the expressive voice of the cello.”
During his two-month residency, Borter will work with Hugo Pilger, one of Brazil’s leading cellists and a scholar on the music of Heitor Villa-Lobos, an influential Brazilian composer, conductor, cellist and classical guitarist who was a central figure in the interpretation of this music. He also will participate in immersive study at two extraordinary institutions: the Casa do Choro and the Escola Portátil de Música.
“These venues are not just archives or classrooms – they’re living musical communities where intergenerational musicians gather to play, rehearse and pass on tradition by ear,” Borter said. “I’ll have the chance to study manuscripts, perform alongside native musicians and experience firsthand the cultural context that gives this music its spirit.”
A globally informed curriculum
As Fulbright U.S. Scholars, college and university faculty, as well as artists and professionals from a wide range of fields, can come away with enhanced skills, new connections and greater mutual understanding. Borter’s goal is to bring choro music back to the U.S. – through performance, recording and teaching – to help expand the cello repertoire and offer students and audiences a broader vision of classical music’s global landscape.
“I believe that global opportunities are critical to ensuring we, as Baylor Faculty, remain at the forefront of our fields and to providing our students with a world-class education,” Borter said. “My Fulbright Scholar experience in Rio de Janeiro will directly translate into a richer, more globally informed curriculum for all the music students with whom I interact. I'll bring back new insights into performance practices, repertoire and teaching methodologies, ultimately preparing them to thrive in an increasingly interconnected musical world.”
Baylor has a rich tradition of Fulbright scholars. Faculty members from a wide array of disciplines have received Fulbright awards for many years. The Center for Global Engagement welcomes current Baylor faculty and staff members to inform themselves about the Fulbright Scholar Program and consider applying.
“Whether we are hosting Fulbright scholars from around the world, or sending our extraordinary Baylor Fulbright recipients abroad, Baylor's engagement with this program is an example of mutual understanding through scholarly exchange, and a prime example of being Pro Mundo,” said Baylor Fulbright representative Eduardo Contreras, Ed.D., vice provost for global engagement and The Jo Murphy Chair in International Education. “The Center for Global Engagement is thrilled that Dr. Borter will be another in a growing number of esteemed Baylor faculty to be honored with this distinguished award.”
ABOUT PHILIP BORTER, D.M.A.
Philip Lawrence Borter, D.M.A., is an award-winning cellist and educator whose performances have spanned four continents, including appearances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Yokohama’s Minatomirai Hall, and the Universität der Künste in Berlin. Since 2020, he has served as assistant professor of cello at Baylor University, where he leads the cello studio and maintains an active performing career.
As co-founder of the violin-cello ensemble Duo-B (with his wife, violinist Hirono Borter), he released the album Tango y Choro: Music from Argentina and Brazil on MSR Classics in 2025, exploring Argentinian tango and Brazilian choro through original arrangements. This project reflects the duo’s dedication to expanding the string duo repertoire. Through Duo-B Press, the ensemble’s publishing venture, the duo has published numerous original arrangements for violin and cello.
He has presented and performed at national and international forums including the College Music Society, the Texas Music Educators Association, the American String Teachers Association and the Experiencing Villa-Lobos International Festival. In addition to his duo and solo projects, Borter performs as a core cellist with Houston’s ROCO chamber orchestra, where he has collaborated with leading composers of our time – including William Bolcom, Juan Pablo Contreras, Viet Cuong, Reena Esmail, Jonathan Leshnoff and John Wineglass – contributing to the premieres of more than 20 new orchestral works.
Borter’s artistry has garnered numerous accolades, including the Eastman School of Music’s Performer’s Certificate and recognition as a laureate of the Carlos Prieto International Cello Competition. Equally committed to teaching, performance and scholarship, he embodies the modern artist-professor by combining a vibrant concert career with a passion for mentorship and innovation.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.
ABOUT THE BAYLOR UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Celebrating more than 100 years of musical excellence, the Baylor University School of Music provides transformational experiences that prepare students for careers in music. Students thrive in a Christian environment characterized by a nurturing resident faculty, an unwavering pursuit of musical excellence, a global perspective, dedication to service and devotion to faith. They investigate the rich musical and cultural heritage of the past, develop superior musical skills and knowledge in the present, and explore and create new modes of musical expression for the future. While preparing for future leadership roles, students join with School of Music faculty in enhancing the quality of community life, enriching the larger culture and making Baylor a place in which heart, mind and soul coalesce. Baylor’s School of Music is a member of the National Association of Schools of Music and the Texas Association of Music Schools. Degree programs include bachelor’s and master’s degrees in performance, music education and academic majors, as well as doctoral degrees in church music. Degrees leading to the Bachelor of Music Education conform to certification requirements of the Texas Education Agency. Visit the School of Music website to learn more.