Winner of the international Concert Artist Guild competition Eric Thomas is an active performer, a virtuoso clarinetist who has appeared as a guest artist with several groups including the internationally acclaimed Apple Hill Chamber Players, the Sylvan Winds, the Boston Pops Traveling Ensemble, the Bravo! Festival at Vail, the Wellesley Composers Conference, and the Cabrillo Contemporary Music Festival. As a freelance artist he has toured with Goldovsky Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Opera New England, The New England Ragtime Ensemble, The New England Conservatory Contemporary Ensemble, and The National Gilbert and Sullivan Tour. He has been a substitute with several orchestras including The Florida Orchestra, The Charlotte Symphony, La Orquesta Sinfonica de Monterrey, The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, New York City Opera in the Park Orchestra, The Southwest Florida Orchestra, and the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra. As a composer, his most recent commissions have come from the Sonad Project, Colby College Symphony Orchestra, concert pianist Ilya Friedberg, and the Bar Harbor Music Festival. Eric has been a guest lecturer/performer at several colleges and universities including Brown, Harvard, Boston University, Centenary College, Southeastern Louisiana University, Boston Conservatory of Music, and Duke. Recently retired as the Director of Bands at Colby College, Mr. Thomas is the newly appointed Conductor and Director of Music for the Keene Chamber Orchestra and Director of Music at the Putney School in Putney, VT. He is adjunct faculty at University Maine Augusta and this past fall served as guest conductor for the Phillips Exeter Symphony Orchestra.
Summer Chamber Music Workshop Participants
“I learned how to listen, how to be helpful, and how to be accepting at Apple Hill.”
“I liked the opportunity to play chamber music with talented musicians and excellent coaches in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.”
