News
2024
​
November: Thomas is invited to present his session "Happy Birthday, Anton Bruckner: A Conductor's Guide to One of His Lesser-Known Works" at the 2025 CODA National Conference in Omaha, NE.
​
November: Thomas conducted the Oklahoma Community Orchestra as part of their Guest Conductor Series.
​
September: Thomas is invited to guest conduct the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra in their 2025 Carnegie Hall: Link Up series concerts.
​
August: Thomas is named a finalist for the position as Music Director & Conductor of the Oklahoma Community Orchestra.
​
June: Thomas joins the Elite Global Roster at Eva Artistic Management.
June: Thomas's book chapter has been published by Routledge and is available for purchase. Use promo code SMA22 for a 20% discount.
​
April: Thomas is invited to conduct the Alaska All-State Orchestra in November 2024.
​
February: Thomas conducted the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra in two Carnegie Hall Link Up performances: 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 is 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.