The Tallahassee Community Chorus - Dr Andre Thomas, Artistic Director

Dr. André J. Thomas is Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Choral Music Education at the Florida State University School of Music. Having received the Baccalaureate in Music Education from Friends University, the Master of Music in Piano Performance from Northwestern University, and the Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Illinois, Dr. Thomas is frequently in demand as a choral clinician, and conductor of all-state choirs and honor choirs throughout the world.

In October 1992, he was the guest clinician conductor for the Swedish Choral Directors Association. In 1993, he served as featured clinician for the Australian Choral Directors Association, and in June 1995, he was chosen to conduct the first Bach Scandinavian Choral Festival in Orebro, Sweden.

Dr. Thomas was one of three featured conductors invited to participate in the Taipei Philharmonic International Choral and Conducting Workshop in August 1995.

In 1997, Dr. Thomas toured England with the Florida State University Singers where they performed with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham, England, in a Gospel Spiritual Spectacular along with other appearances in London, Canterbury and Coventry. Additional performances were at the Litchfield and Warwick Festivals.

Dr. Thomas has also guest conducted the National Australian Youth Choir in the Concert Hall at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, and he conducted the 1998 World Youth Choir in the Republic of China and the Philippines.

In May 1999, Dr. Thomas and the Florida State University Singers were invited by the Vietnamese government to perform concerts with orchestras in both Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City.

In 1999, Dr. Thomas was invited to record and conduct the World Youth Choir in its winter residency in Belgium, The Netherlands and France.

In the year 2000, Dr. Thomas served as an adjudicator for the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Festival in Wales, serve as a clinician during the Choir Olympics Linz 2000 in Vienna; and also serve as a clinician for the Alpe Adria Cantat 2000 in Venice, Italy.

Besides his extensive conducting credits, he has distinguished himself as a composer/arranger. His compositions and arrangements are published by Hinshaw Music Company, Mark Foster Music Company, Fitzsimmon Music Company, Lawson-Gould Publishers, Earth Songs and Heritage Music.

Dr. Thomas teaches and conducts numerous ensembles at FSU, in addition to The Tallahassee Community Chorus. In the 1992-1993 academic year, he was awarded the University Award for Excellence in Teaching. From 1993-1995, he served as President of the Florida American Choral Directors Association, and in November 1995, Dr. Thomas was presented with the prestigious Wayne Hogoboom Distinguished Service award for his dedicated service, leadership, and consistent example of excellence to his profession. In addition to serving on the National Board of the Choristers Guild, he is President-Elect of the Southern Division of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA).

In January 13, 1996, FSU honored Dr. Thomas with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding scholarly excellence and strong commitment to Dr. King's ideals.