Thomas Acda

Biography

Isaac Thomas (b. 1973) is a conductor, composer, pianist, vocalist and worship leader. He is most known for his impressionistic style choral compositions and piano arrangements. He serves as a Director of Music and Worship Leader in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, teaches piano & voice and works as a free-lance composer and recording artist. Thomas has composed for and conducted many of the world’s finest choirs including: The American Boychoir (Princeton, NJ), The Boys Choir of Harlem (New York), The Bel Canto Company (Greensboro, NC), Westminster Abbey Choir (London), and The Zambian A cappella Boys Choir (Africa). Renowned choral/orchestral composer and conductor Eric Whitacre had this to say about Thomas' choral and piano compositions: "BEAUTIFUL music!" Thomas maintains an active schedule as a performer, conductor, composer and recording artist and is known to work on multiple projects at a time. He has recently finished a new composition for the marimba entitled, Fire Dance. The piece was commissioned by Barrett Hipes (a marimbist and saxophonist living in New Jersey). Thomas is currently composing for the percussion group Spindrift based in New Jersey. He is also currently composing a choral piece entitled, Alleluia for the Westminster Abbey Choir of London. Westminster Abbey Choir is known throughout the world for its excellence in sacred choral music and was the principal choir that sang in the funeral of Princess Diana. Also in progress is a new Christmas CD entitled, Winter Vespers and a CD entitled, Pathways to Peace. Thomas has received a well-rounded musical education in conducting, piano, and voice. He has participated in programs at the University of Arkansas, John Brown University, Texas Wesleyan University and The Univserity of Texas at Arlington. During his residency in Memphis, he sang at Rhodes College for two and a half years with their MasterSingers Chorale under the direction of Dr. Tim Sharp. He has studied private conducting under Paul B. Smith, Dr. Shawna Cross-Stewart, Dr. Carlton Woods, Dr. Jeff Walter, Dale Morehouse, Mark Stamper and composer/conductor Jing Ling-Tam. He has studied piano under Mildred Rose, Dr. Jerome Rappaport, Caroline Rappaport, Sally Carter (Suzuki method), Dr. Dale Millen, Dr. Alan Chow, Dr. Joe Zimmerman (the Alexander technique), Dr. Linda Beckman, and Lee Tomboulian (Jazz piano) and currently he studies under Dr. Larry Wiley. Thomas currently studies with Dr. Linton Powell for Pipe Organ. He studied voice under Beth Davies, Bill Burrows, Dr. Jack Groh, Chris Pauley, Dr. Eddie Jones, Paul B. Smith, Cindy Ensley and Dr. Gordon Page. Thomas has been an active performer since his youth and has performed in produtions with The North Arkansas Symphony (youth and adult), The Memphis Symphony, Arts Live, The North Arkansas Symphony Chorus, and Rhodes College MasterSingers Chorale. He has been a chorus member or cast member in: Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Mahler's 2nd Symphony, Handel's Messiah, Faure's Requiem, Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem, John Rutter's Requiem, Mozart's Requiem, Brahms' Requiem, Puchinni's Madame Butterfly, Verdi's La Traviata, Verdi's Il Trovatore, Pucchini's Gianni Schicchi, Big River, Little Shop of Horrors and A Raisin in the Sun . Thomas has been a participant in various masterclasses under world famous musicians including: SONY Classical pianist Emmanuel Ax, composer Morten Lauridsen, harpsichordist John Paul, composer Donald Grantham, composer Claude Baker, & Jackson and Almeda Berkey (the principal keyboardists of Manheim Steamroller). In February of 2001, Mr. Thomas completed a commissioned choral composition entitled The Civil Rights Movement for the Bel Canto Company of Greensboro, North Carolina. The work was given its world premiere on February 16th, 17th, and 18th 2002, in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Civil Rights Movement featured The Bel Canto Company and The Spiritual Renaissance Singers of Greensboro. The work is a tribute to the fight for civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s. The work closes with a setting of Dr. Maya Angelou's poem entitled, A Brave and Startling Truth. Excerpts The Civil Rights Movement were showcased at the American Choral Directors Association in 2002 at Queens College by the Bel Canto Company. This was quite an honor for his music to be featured at such an prestigious event. On February 20th, 2000, Mr. Thomas was the choir and orchestra conductor for the closing concert of the Twila Paris True North tour with guest artist Fernando Ortega. This task involved preparing and conducting over 150 singers and instrumentalists from members of more than 30 churches in Northwest Arkansas. The concert was held at the Springdale Performing Arts Center. In April 1999, Mr. Thomas was named the conductor of the Impact World Tour production of Heal Our Land in Benton County (Arkansas). This task involved preparing and conducting a full choir, stage band, and praise team. He served as the principal keyboardist in the Washington County (Arkansas) production of the same musical. Another great honor in 1999 was having his piece The Lord Emmanuel (which he co-wrote with Bill Burrows) performed in the White House for President Clinton. The piece was performed by the Barbara Mashburn Singers. In 1997, Thomas collaborated with the former Fayetteville High School choral director Bill Burrows to compose a Christmas anthem entitled The Lord Emmanuel. The anthem has been performed by numerous choirs throughout the United States and was recorded by the Fayetteville High School A Cappella Choir and the John Brown University Cathedral Choir. The Lord Emmanuel has received excellent reviews in choral journals and has been an instant sellout at choral conventions. In 1995, Thomas composed his first major choral piece entitled, Lux Aeterna. The piece was composed in memory of the victims of the Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing. Lux Aeterna had its world premiere on March 21st and 22nd 1996 in Bella Vista, Arkansas. The world premiere was performed by the world famous American Boychoir of Princeton, New Jersey. The piece centers around themes of life, death, love, mercy, and spirituality. The text comes from the traditional Requiem Mass. The Lux Aeterna has reached critical acclaim in the music industry and has been performed all over the world by professional choirs as well as college choirs, high school choirs and boys choirs. in 1993 and 1992 Thomas was a featured composer for Arkansas Composers Weekend presented by The University of Arkansas Music Department. During the 1992 concert Thomas performed his composition Over The Ocean which was dedicated to Matthew Moore and Seth Adams (two of Isaac's close friends from High School who were killed in an automobile accident their senior year in high school). In 1993 Thomas performed his composition Sometimes In The Rain which he dedicated to two of his good friends Charlie Moore and Eric Kline (Charlie is now a medical doctor and Eric is a violinist with the Knoxville Symphony). Thomas is a published choral composer. His music is published by Moon of Hope Publishing in Galesburg, Illinois. He is a writer affiliate of Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI). Thomas is a member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). Mr. Thomas plays Steinway, Bösendorfer, Mason & Hamlin, Baldwin and Yamaha pianos. He plays KORG keyboards exclusively. He frequently serves as guest speaker, guest conductor or music director for various nationwide and local events.