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André J. Thomas

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André Jerome Thomas (born August 15, 1952) is an American composer and conductor. He currently serves as a professor of music at Florida State University and the artistic director for the Tallahassee Community Chorus. In addition to his conducting and composition credits, he is a published author, Way Over in Beulah Lan': Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual and numerous journal articles.

Early life

Thomas grew up in Wichita, Kansas with his two sisters and mother.[1] Thomas credits his mother dedication to her family’s economic and spiritual well-being, cleaning buses for Continental Trailways and singing in church, for his own fascination for music.[2]

However, Thomas explored not only choral music but instrumental music as well. During his elementary school years, André Thomas took piano lessons from various members of his church, though only sporadically. Even though Thomas received some outside musical training, for most of his early childhood, he was predominantly self-taught.[3]

Upon entering junior high school Thomas decided to pursue piano formally. He began taking lessons at Wichita State University and by his eighth grade year he won the Federated Music Clubs Piano Competition.[4] During this time, Thomas participated in the junior high school’s chorus and developed a dislike of spirituals and gospel music that he has since become known for composing. Thomas explains this feeling:

I must admit, I was not fond of these settings, even through high school. As a young black man, I really didn’t identify. This was not the black music that I knew and it certainly wasn’t the music that I experienced at my church! The text utilized dialect and it made me feel as if performing this music gave white people a chance to make fun of black people. I never really heard the message in the text; I only heard the way it sounded. We certainly weren’t allowed to speak like that in my home and it denoted ignorance in my mind...[5]

While his feelings towards these settings may have continued through high school they did not stop him from being actively involved with music and composition. At sixteen, Thomas accepted the role of Minister of Music at Tabernacle Baptist Church. He began arranging music to meet the needs of his choir. However, his time as a music minister was not easy. Many of the choir members balked at taking instructions from such a young person. This created enough tension that he eventually asked his mother to leave the choir.[6]

College and early professional

Thomas earned degrees from Friends University (B.M. 1973), Northwestern University (M.M. in Piano Performance 1976), and University of Illinois (D.M.A. 1983).[7] During his time at Friends University, Thomas sang under the direction of Jester Hairston. Hairston noticed Thomas’s lack of enthusiasm for spirituals and gospel music and pulled Thomas aside to speak about it. Hairston explained how the “dialect was not a sign of inferiority but an accommodation for sounds that were not part of African speech”.[8]

After finishing his bachelor's degree at Friends University in Wichita, KS, Thomas began teaching at Brooks Junior High School in the Wichita Public School System. Additionally he served as the Youth Music Minister at Canaan Baptist Church. Two years later, Thomas left to pursue his master's degree in Chicago. While studying at Northwestern University Thomas decided against a career as a concert pianist in favor of conducting and teaching because he did not enjoy the solitary nature of becoming a concert pianist. Following his degree at Northwestern, Thomas returned to Wichita Public School System to teach at Coleman Junior High School before pursuing his doctoral degree from the University of Illinois. At the University of Illinois Thomas received an opportunity to assist Harold Decker, then Director of Choral Activities at University of Illinois, and to direct the University Chorus as well as the University of Illinois Black Chorus.[9]

Professional career

Thomas began his professional career at the University of Texas in Austin (1981-1984) while finishing his doctoral degree. He then began his long career at Florida State University. He currently serves as the Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Choral Education at Florida State University as well as the Owen F. Sellers Professor of Music.[10]

In addition to his collegiate teaching career, Thomas conducts various choral organizations throughout the United States and internationally. He currently serves as the artistic director for the Tallahassee Community Chorus. His international conducting experiences include Australia, England, China, Estonia, Israel, New Zealand and many others.[11] He has conducted about 40 All-State high school choirs and has twice conducted the World Youth Choir.[12]

His influence ranges beyond conducting to author of various choral education and specialty fields and composer. He writes frequently about black composers and the struggle of becoming a black “classical” composer and performing ethnic music (spirituals and gospels) with integrity; and his choral compositions have been published by seven different publishing companies.[13]

Selected works

Non-compositional works

[14]

  • “What You See is What You Get”-instructional video on choral conducting with Rodney Eichenberger
  • “Body, Mind, Spirit, Voice”-instructional video on adolescent voices with Anton Armstrong
  • Way Over in Beulah Lan’: Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual. Dayton, OH: Heritage Music Press, 2007.

Choral compositions

[15]

  • Glory to God (SATB), Heritage Music Press, 2015
  • Until I Found the Lord (SSA), Heritage Music Press, 15/2674h, 2009
  • Until I Found the Lord (SATB), Heritage Music Press, 15/2673h, 2009
  • Walk in My Shoes (SATB), Hinshaw Music Co., HMC2241, 2009
  • Go Down’n the Valley and Pray (SATB), Heritage Music Press, 15/2348H, 2007
  • Beautiful City (SATB), Heritage Music Press, 15/2124H 2006
  • Walk in the Light (SATB) Choristers Guild, CGA 1063 2006
  • Walk in the Light (2pt) Choristers Guild, CGA 1062 2006
  • Keep Your Lamps (SSA), Hinshaw Music Company 2005
  • I’m Gonna Sing (SATB), Heritage Music Press, 15/2023h, 2005
  • I’m Gonna Sing (SSA), Heritage Music Press, 15/2023h, 2005
  • Barbara Allen (SSA), Heritage Music Press, 15/1986h 2005
  • Barbara Allen (TBB), Heritage Music Press, pending 2005
  • Good News (SSA), Heritage Music Press, 15/1886h, 2004
  • Good News (TTB), Heritage Music Press, 15/1890h, 2004
  • Fences (SATB), Heritage Music Press, 15/1797h 2003
  • Swing Down Chariot (SATB), Heritage Music Press, 15/1798h 2003
  • Deep River (SATB), Heritage Music Press, 15/1750h 2002
  • I Dream A World (SAB 3-Part mixed), Heritage Music Press, 15/1730h, 2002
  • John Saw Duh Number (SSAA), Heritage Music Press, 15/1666h 2001
  • John Saw Duh Number (SATB), Heritage Music Press, 15/1665h 2001
  • I Hear America Singing (2 Part) Heritage Music Press, 15/1655H 2001
  • The Drinking Gourd (2 Part), Heritage Music PRess, 15/1564h 2000
  • Heaven (SATB), Mark Foster Music Co., MF 1016, 1999
  • I Open My Mouth, Hinshaw Music Company, HMC 1168 1990
  • Heaven (TTBB), Mark Foster Music Co., MF 1016, 1988
  • Ride the Chariot, Hinshaw Music Co., HMC-931 1987
  • I’m A Rollin’, Hinshaw Music Co., 1986

Organizations and Awards

[16] [17]•

  • Florida American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)-past president
  • Southern Division ACDA-past president
  • ACDA-national board member, National Chair of Ethnic Music and Minority Concerns Committee
  • Honored as a Living Legend by the African Diaspora Sacred Music and Musicians program
  • Distinguished Service Award by Chorus America
  • Owen F. Sellers Professor of Music-Florida State University
  • International Federation for Choral Music
  • National Association for Music Education (formerly Music Educators National Conference)
  • American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
  • International Society for Music Education
  • Pi Kappa Lambda
  • Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
  • Choristers Guild - National Board of Directors;

Conducting Credits (Highlights)

[18]

Additional Resources for Study

  • Allegar, John. “The Jubilee Songs of 1872 and 1884: Reconciling Reconstruction(s).” Journal of the American Choral Foundation, 53, no. 1 (2011): 1-12.
  • Knight, Gerald R. “The Music Philosophies Choral Concepts and Rehearsal Practices of Two African American Choral Conductors.” PhD diss., Florida State University, 2006.
  • Smith, Elaine. “Portrait: André Thomas.” Research in Review (1996): 2-3.
  • Thomas, André Jerome. Way Over in Beulah Lan’: Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual. Dayton, OH: Heritage press, 2007.
  • Thomas, André Jerome, Margaret Bonds, Robert Ray, George Walker and David Baker. “A Brief Analysis of Masses by Black Composers: Baker, Bonds, Ray and Walker.” The Choral Journal 27 (1986): 7-11.
  • Thomas, André Jerome. “André Thomas.” Accessed Sept. 16, 2014. www.andrejthomas.net .
  • White, Evelyn Davidson. Choral Music by African American Composers: A Selected, Annotated Bibliography. Scarecrow Press, 1996.

References

  1. ^ Grove Music Online, "Thomas, André," by Steven R. Kelly,accessed 9-24-12.
  2. ^ Gerald R. Knight. "The Music Philosophies Choral Concepts and Rehearsal Practices of Two African-American Choral Conductors" (PhD diss., Florida State University, 2006),p. 10.
  3. ^ Gerald R. Knight. "The Music Philosophies Choral Concepts and Rehearsal Practices of Two African-American Choral Conductors" (PhD diss., Florida State University, 2006),pp.10-12.
  4. ^ Gerald R. Knight. "The Music Philosophies Choral Concepts and Rehearsal Practices of Two African-American Choral Conductors" (PhD diss., Florida State University, 2006),p.10-12
  5. ^ André J. Thomas, Way Over in Beulah Lan': Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual. (Dayton, OH: Heritage Press, 2007).
  6. ^ Gerald R. Knight. "The Music Philosophies Choral Concepts and Rehearsal Practices of Two African-American Choral Conductors" (PhD diss., Florida State University, 2006),p.10-12.
  7. ^ Grove Music Online, "Thomas, André," by Steven R. Kelly,accessed 9-24-12.
  8. ^ André J. Thomas, Way Over in Beulah Lan': Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual. (Dayton, OH: Heritage Press, 2007).
  9. ^ Gerald R. Knight. "The Music Philosophies Choral Concepts and Rehearsal Practices of Two African-American Choral Conductors" (PhD diss., Florida State University, 2006),addendum.
  10. ^ Grove Music Online, "Thomas, André," by Steven R. Kelly,accessed 9-24-12.
  11. ^ Grove Music Online, "Thomas, André," by Steven R. Kelly,accessed 9-24-12.
  12. ^ Gerald R. Knight. "The Music Philosophies Choral Concepts and Rehearsal Practices of Two African-American Choral Conductors" (PhD diss., Florida State University, 2006),addendum.
  13. ^ André Jerome Thomas et al. "A Brief Analysis of Masses by Black Composers: Baker, Bonds, Ray and Walker," The Choral Journal 27 (1986): 7-11.
  14. ^ "Andre J. Thomas, Conductor". www.drandrejthomas.net. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  15. ^ "Andre J. Thomas, Composer". www.drandrejthomas.net. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  16. ^ Gerald R. Knight. "The Music Philosophies Choral Concepts and Rehearsal Practices of Two African-American Choral Conductors" (PhD diss., Florida State University, 2006).
  17. ^ Andre J. Thomas, "Andre Thomas," accessed Sept. 16, 2014. www.andrejthomas.net
  18. ^ Andre J. Thomas, "Andre Thomas," accessed Sept. 16, 2014. www.andrejthomas.net
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