Phillip Houghton was an Australian classical guitarist and composer. Born in Melbourne, he began studying music at the age of 20 at Melba Conservatorium of Music. After a year, he studied privately with classical pianist and guitarist Sebastian Jorgenson at the Montsalvat Artists Colony in Eltham, Victoria. Although Houghton had little formal training, his music received critical acclaim. His piece Stélé was recorded by John Williams in his 1998 album The Guitarist, and Karin Schaupp made the first complete recording. Houghton composed music for film and television, including the motion picture “The Custodian” and the animation series Plasmo. He wrote many unpublished sketches for electronic media and produced a record of his experimental improvisations on electric guitar and piano. Houghton lived in Sydney for many years, teaching from his home. He was highly regarded as a teacher with a deep understanding of guitar technique. He died unexpectedly in 2017, shortly after returning to Melbourne. A tribute concert featured his works, celebrating his life and contributions to music.