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2024

February:  Thomas conducted the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra in two performances of the Carnegie Hall Link Up: The Orchestra Rocks! series.

February:  Thomas presented his session on the history of LGBTQ+ conductors at the CODA National Conference.

February:  Thomas conducted his thirteenth all-state orchestra in Reno, NV.

January:  Thomas earns 1st Prize with Special Mention in the Conducting Category in the Classical Music Stars International Competition.

2023

December: Thomas is invited to guest conduct the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra in February 2024.

December:  Thomas is named a finalist in the International Artists Competition.

December:  Thomas is invited to present his session on the history of queer conductors at the CODA National Conference in Nashville, TN in February 2024.

November:   Thomas is invited to present his session "Progress, Not Perfection: DEI in Student Orchestra Programs" at the 2024 Texas Orchestra Directors Association Conference.

October:  Thomas conducted honors orchestra in Norman and Putnam City, OK.

September:  Thomas presented his session on DEI and student orchestra programs at the Arkansas Music Educators Association Conference in Conway, AR.

September:  Thomas's article "Progress, Not Perfection: DEI in Student Orchestra Programs" is published in the Iowa Music Educators Association Journal.

July:  Thomas's article "The Pedagogy of Orchestral Bowings: What Conductors and Students Can Learn from Them" is accepted for publication in the CODA Journal.

June:  Thomas is invited to present his session "Progress, Not Perfection: DEI in Student Orchestra Programs" at the Arkansas, Illinois, and Indiana Music Educators Association conferences. 

March:  Thomas is invited to conduct the TMEA Region 9 Symphony Orchestra in November.

February:  Thomas is invited to conduct the Nevada All-State Orchestra in February 2024.

February:  Thomas conducted the Chattanooga Honors Orchestra (TN).

January:  Thomas conducted the Texas PSMEA All-State Orchestra, Irving ISD All-City Honors Orchestra (TX), and the St. Louis All-Suburban Honors Orchestra (MO)

2022

December:  Thomas conducted the Southeast Kansas Honors Orchestra.

November:  Thomas returned to his home state of Illinois to conduct the ILMEA District 6 Honors Orchestra.

November:  Thomas receives the Gold Prize in the Grand Maestro International Music Competition.

October:  Thomas receives the 21st Century Prominent Musicians Award and is named "Artist of the Month" by European Classical Music Awards.

October:  Thomas's article "Progress, Not Perfection: Practical Ways for Integrating DEI in Student Orchestra Programs" is published in the October edition of Notes from the Podium in the UK.

September:  Thomas's article "Y'all Means All: DEI in the Public Schools" is published in the Fall 2022 edition of Oklahoma Music.

August:  Thomas's graduate student, Nicholas Han, wins 1st Prize and the special Audience Prize at the 2022 Los Angeles Conducting Competition.

July:  Thomas wins 2nd Place in The American Prize in Orchestral Programming Competition.

July:  Thomas wins the Gold Prize in Conducting in the World Classical Music Awards, Season 2.

June:  Thomas's article "Uncomplicated Inclusion: Strategies for Integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in College Orchestras" has been accepted for publication in the 2022 CODA Journal.

June:  Thomas's book chapter "Cracking Open the Conducting Closet: Shared Experiences among Queer Conductors" has been selected for inclusion in the book Perspectives on Conducting, which will be published through Routledge Professional Texts in 2023.

April:  Thomas wins the Grand Prize Winner in Conducting in the World Classical Music Awards (WCMA), Season 1.

April:  Thomas conducted the Connecticut and New Hampshire All-State Orchestras.

February:  Thomas conducted the Kansas and Idaho All-State Orchestras.

January:  Thomas conducted the Oregon All-State Orchestra.

January:  The OSU Symphony Orchestra performed at the OkMEA All-State Conference for the second time in only six years. 

2021

October:  The Oklahoma State University Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Thomas Dickey, wins 3rd Place in The American Prize in Orchestral Performance Competition.

 

September:  Thomas is invited to conduct the Idaho and Connecticut All-State Orchestras in 2022.

 

August: Thomas is invited to present his session "Progress, Not Perfection: Practical Ways of Integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Public School Orchestra Programs" at the Oklahoma Music Educators Association Conferences in 2022.

 

August: Thomas wins the Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming. This prize recognizes & rewards the best achievement in the unique field of orchestral programming, where the selection of repertoire by knowledgeable, creative, & courageous music directors builds orchestras & audiences, educates young people & adults, and enriches the community.

 

June: Thomas is named a National Finalist for The American Prize in both the professional and the college/university orchestra divisions.

 

June: Thomas's article "Historically Underrepresented Composers Part Two: Music by Minority Composers to be Performed by Social Distanced Ensembles" is accepted for publication in the 2021 CODA Journal.

 

May: Thomas's orchestration of Florence Price's organ piece Adoration is made available for purchase via JW Pepper.

 

May: The OSU Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Dickey, will be featured at the Ensemble Showcase as part of the Conducting Careers: Diverse Pathways to the Podium 2021 Virtual Symposium.

 

May: Thomas's proposal "Occupational Segregation: Shared Experiences among Queer Conductors" has been accepted for the Conducting Careers: Diverse Pathways to the Podium 2021 Virtual Symposium.

 

April: Thomas is invited to conduct the New Hampshire All-State Orchestra in April 2022.

 

February: Thomas is one of five distinguished conductors invited to take part in the Live Q&A on Podium Time: The Podcast for Conductors and Students 100th Episode.

 

January: Thomas is invited to present his session "The Pedagogy of Orchestral Bowings" at the CODA National Conference in February.

 

2020

December: Thomas is one of five distinguished conductors invited to take part in the Maestro as Professor online series "Conducting 101."

 

December: Thomas is invited to conduct the 2022 Kansas All-State Orchestra.

 

November: Thomas is invited to present his session on orchestral repertoire selection & assessment at the Texas Music Educators Association's Virtual Conference in January 2021.

 

October: Thomas's article on historically underrepresented composers is published in the CODA Journal Volume XIII.

 

September: Thomas is invited to present his session on score study at the Alabama Music Educators Association Virtual Conference in January 2021.

 

September: Thomas's article on fast & efficient score study appears in the 75th-anniversary issue of The Instrumentalist.

 

August: Thomas is elected Vice President of the College Orchestra Directors Association's South-Central Chapter.

 

July: Thomas's article "Historically Underrepresented Composers: An Examination of the Music of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Emma Lou Diemer" has been accepted for publication in the 2020 College Orchestra Directors Association Journal.

 

June: Thomas is invited to present his session "A Young Teacher's Guide to Selecting Orchestral Repertoire" at the 2021 OkMEA All-State Conference.

 

June: The OSU Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Thomas Dickey, is 1 of only 8 college/university orchestra programs in the country to be named a National Finalist in The American Prize in Orchestral Performance Competition.

 

May: Thomas is named a National Finalist for The American Prize in Orchestral Conducting in the college/university division.

 

May: Thomas's article "Score Study and Rehearsal Planning: A Beginner's Guide" has been accepted for publication and will appear in an upcoming issue of The Instrumentalist.

 

April: Thomas is invited by the California Orchestra Directors Association and the California Music Educators Association to give a webinar on efficient score study and rehearsal planning.

 

April: Thomas is invited to conduct the Oregon All-State Orchestra in Eugene, OR January 15-17, 2021.

 

January: Thomas is invited to conduct the North Dakota All-State Orchestra in March 2021.

 

2019

November: Thomas is invited to present two sessions (one on score study and one on repertoire selection) at the 2020 Kansas All-State Conference.

 

October: Thomas will present his session "A Young Teacher's Guide to Selecting Orchestral Repertoire" at the 2019 Louisiana All-State Conference in November.

 

September: The Oklahoma State University Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Thomas Dickey, is one of only two orchestras invited to perform at the 2020 College Orchestra Directors Association National Conference in Vancouver, BC in February 2020.

 

August: Thomas is invited to present his session "A Young Teacher's Guide to Selecting Orchestral Repertoire" at the Iowa and Louisiana All-State Conferences.

 

July: The OSU Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Dickey, is named a National Finalist in The American Prize in Orchestral Performance Competition.

 

June: Thomas wins 2nd Prize in the 2019 Mozart & Tchaikovsky Conducting Competition.

 

June: Thomas is named a National Finalist in The American Prize in Conducting Competition - College/University Orchestra Division.

 

June: Thomas will travel to Romania in July 2019 to participate in the Bucharest Conducting Competition & Masterclass.

 

May: Thomas is one of twelve conductors selected to participate in the 2019 Mozart & Tchaikovsky Conducting Competition & Masterclass in 

Budapest, Hungary.

 

March: Thomas is invited to conduct the Kansas City Honors Orchestra in January 2020.

 

February: Thomas is invited to conduct the Wisconsin All-State Orchestra in October 2020.

 

January: Thomas is invited to conduct the Washington All-State Orchestra in February 2020.

 

2018

September: The OSU Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Dickey, won 1st place in the Ictus International Band & Orchestra Competition, which attracted applicants from over 13 countries and 13 states.

 

August: Thomas is invited to guest conduct the TMEA Region 22 orchestra in January 2019.

 

August: Thomas is invited to guest conduct the Tulsa Metro Honors Orchestra in November.

 

August: The OSU Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Thomas Dickey, received Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music.

 

July: The OSU Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Thomas Dickey, has been named a finalist in the 2018 Ictus International Music Competition, which attracted applicants from over 13 countries and 13 states.

 

July: Thomas won the Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming, which recognizes and rewards the best achievement in the unique field of orchestral programming, where the selection of repertoire by knowledgeable, creative, and courageous music directors builds orchestras and audiences, educates young people and adults, and enriches the community.

 

June: Thomas is selected as a Conducting Fellow for the Allentown Symphony Orchestra (PA). In March 2019, Thomas will travel to the Lehigh Valley to work side by side with Allentown Symphony Music Director and Conductor Diane Wittry, learning more about the intricacies involved in assembling and leading a regional symphony.

 

June: In addition to The Missouri Symphony at the 2018 Midwest Beethoven Workshop and the Pizazz Symphony Chamber Players at the Beyond the Baton Conducting Seminar & Workshop, Thomas will conduct the Lyatoshinsky Ensemble at the International Conductors Festival - Kyiv, the Belgrade Chamber Orchestra at the Orchestral Conductors Academy, and the Saratoga Orchestra at the Pacific Northwest Conducting Institute.

 

May: The OSU Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Dickey, is named a finalist in The American Prize in Orchestral Performance Competition.

 

April: Thomas is named a finalist for the Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming, which recognizes and rewards the best achievement in the unique field of orchestral programming, where the selection of repertoire by knowledgeable, creative, and courageous music directors builds orchestras and audiences, educates young people and adults, and enriches the community.

 

April: The OSU Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Dickey, is named a finalist for the Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music.

 

March: Thomas is invited to conduct the Wyoming All-State Orchestra in January 2019.

 

March: Thomas is invited to attend the 2018 Midwest Beethoven Workshop, where he will conduct the Missouri Symphony Orchestra under the tutelage of Maestro Kirk Trevor.

 

February: Thomas is invited to conduct the Kansas City Metro Honors Orchestra in January 2019.

 

2017

December: Thomas is invited to guest conduct the NW/SW Kansas Honors Orchestra in December 2018.

 

September: Thomas is invited to guest conduct the Tulsa Symphony on their Carnegie Link-Up performances in February 2018.

 

August: Thomas is invited to guest conduct the Southeast Kansas Honors Orchestra in December 2017.

 

July: Thomas is invited to guest conduct the Oklahoma City Public Schools All-City Honors Orchestra in September 2017.

 

June: Thomas is invited to be the guest conductor/clinician for the Texas Music Educators Association Region 3 Orchestra in December 2017.

 

May: Thomas is one of eight conductors selected to participate in the 7th Annual Conductors Institute in China, where he will conduct the Shenyang Symphony Orchestra in a series of rehearsals and public performances.

 

April: Thomas is one of twelve conductors selected to participate in the European Music Academy's International Opera Conducting Competition and Masterclass in the Czech Republic.

 

March: Thomas adjudicates competitions sponsored by El Sistema Oklahoma, Oklahoma Music Teachers Association, and the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association.

 

February: Thomas is one of six conductors selected to participate in the Springfield Symphony/SDCO Conducting Workshop, where he will conduct members of the Springfield Symphony in Dvorak's String Serenade and Copland's Appalachian Spring Suite under the tutelage of Maestros Kyle Wiley Pickett and Christopher Koch.

 

January: Thomas is invited to attend the International Conducting Masterclass with Maestro Alim Shakh and the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra in the Czech Republic in June 2017.

 

January: Thomas is one of eight conductors selected to attend the Smoky Mountain International Conducting Institute and Competition (NC) in May 2017.

 

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