Thomas Wilson
Thomas Wilson
Thomas Wilson is currently Music Director of the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, Associate Conductor of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Cover Conductor for the New-York based pops show Symphonic Night at the Oscars, serves on the music faculties at Colorado College and the Colorado Springs Conservatory, and maintains an active guest conducting schedule. Mr. Wilson previously conducted for the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony program and founded the Young Concert Artists of Colorado Springs.
Thomas began studying piano at the age of four. Later instrumental studies included trumpet, percussion, string bass and voice, before concentrating his efforts on trumpet, conducting and composition. Thomas graduated summa cum laude from the University of Northern Colorado, receiving the School of Music’s highest honor — the Departmental Scholar Award — and has pursued additional studies with many of the leading conductors of our time.
A primary focus of Mr. Wilson’s conducting career has been collaborations between performing arts organizations, which he views as essential to artistic growth and a unified arts community. Thomas frequently conducts world premieres, including works by Mark Arnest, Rebecca Clarke, Kevin McChesney, Istvan Hornyak, and Sean Hennessy. Thomas’ recent recording projects include the world premier recording of Kevin McChesney’s Ring of Fire, a live 2-CD release of the Flying W Wranglers with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and a CD/DVD concert video and documentary on the Hotel Metropolitan in Paducah, Kentucky with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra, focusing on the segregated hotel’s rich history through the music of its most prominent guests.
Winner of international recognition as a trumpeter, Mr. Wilson has extensive experience performing, touring, and recording with orchestras, ensembles, and artists. He is one of only three trumpeters ever selected as a finalist for both the International Trumpet Guild Orchestral and Solo Performance Competitions in the same year. Thomas’ compositions and arrangements have been performed widely in the United States, Europe and Japan.
Mr. Wilson has been called “someone to watch” and “a very exciting conductor” by Michael Tilson Thomas, one of the foremost conductors of our time.