News
2025
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March: Thomas leads the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra in two of their Carnegie Hall Link Up: The Orchestra Swings performances.
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March: Thomas is 1 of only 11 college/university orchestra conductors to be named a National Finalist for The American Prize in Orchestral Conducting.
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March: The OSU Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Dickey, is 1 of only 5 college orchestras in the country to be named a National Finalist for the Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming! This prize recognizes and rewards the best achievement in the unique field of orchestral programming, where the selection of repertoire by knowledgeable, creative, and courageous music directors builds orchestras and audiences, educates young people and adults, and enriches the community.
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January: Thomas presented his session "Happy Birthday, Anton Bruckner: A College Orchestra Director's Guide to One of His Lesser-Known Symphonies" at the 2025 CODA National Conference in Omaha, NE.
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2024
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November: Thomas is invited to present his session "Happy Birthday, Anton Bruckner: A Conductor's Guide to One of His Lesser-Known Works" at the 2025 CODA National Conference in Omaha, NE.
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November: Thomas conducted the Oklahoma Community Orchestra as part of their Guest Conductor Series.
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September: Thomas is invited to guest conduct the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra in their 2025 Carnegie Hall: Link Up series concerts.
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August: Thomas is named a finalist for the position as Music Director & Conductor of the Oklahoma Community Orchestra.
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June: Thomas joins the Elite Global Roster at Eva Artistic Management.
June: Thomas's book chapter has been published by Routledge and is available for purchase. Use promo code SMA22 for a 20% discount.
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April: Thomas is invited to conduct the Alaska All-State Orchestra in November 2024.
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February: Thomas conducted the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra in two Carnegie Hall Link Up performances: The Orchestra Rocks! series.
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February: Thomas presented his session on the history of LGBTQ+ conductors at the CODA National Conference.
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February: Thomas conducted his thirteenth all-state orchestra in Reno, NV.
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January: Thomas earns 1st Prize with Special Mention in the Conducting Category in the Classical Music Stars International Competition.
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2023
December: Thomas is invited to guest conduct the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra in February 2024.
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December: Thomas is named a finalist in the International Artists Competition.
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December: Thomas is invited to present his session on the history of queer conductors at the CODA National Conference in Nashville, TN in February 2024.
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November: Thomas is invited to present his session "Progress, Not Perfection: DEI in Student Orchestra Programs" at the 2024 Texas Orchestra Directors Association Conference.
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October: Thomas conducted honors orchestra in Norman and Putnam City, OK.
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September: Thomas presented his session on DEI and student orchestra programs at the Arkansas Music Educators Association Conference in Conway, AR.
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September: Thomas's article "Progress, Not Perfection: DEI in Student Orchestra Programs" is published in the Iowa Music Educators Association Journal.
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July: Thomas's article "The Pedagogy of Orchestral Bowings: What Conductors and Students Can Learn from Them" is accepted for publication in the CODA Journal.
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June: Thomas is invited to present his session "Progress, Not Perfection: DEI in Student Orchestra Programs" at the Arkansas, Illinois, and Indiana Music Educators Association conferences.
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March: Thomas is invited to conduct the TMEA Region 9 Symphony Orchestra in November.
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February: Thomas is invited to conduct the Nevada All-State Orchestra in February 2024.
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February: Thomas conducted the Chattanooga Honors Orchestra (TN).
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January: Thomas conducted the Texas PSMEA All-State Orchestra, Irving ISD All-City Honors Orchestra (TX), and the St. Louis All-Suburban Honors Orchestra (MO)
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2022
December: Thomas conducted the Southeast Kansas Honors Orchestra.
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November: Thomas returned to his home state of Illinois to conduct the ILMEA District 6 Honors Orchestra.
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November: Thomas receives the Gold Prize in the Grand Maestro International Music Competition.
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October: Thomas receives the 21st Century Prominent Musicians Award and is named "Artist of the Month" by European Classical Music Awards.
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October: Thomas's article "Progress, Not Perfection: Practical Ways for Integrating DEI in Student Orchestra Programs" is published in the October edition of Notes from the Podium in the UK.
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September: Thomas's article "Y'all Means All: DEI in the Public Schools" is published in the Fall 2022 edition of Oklahoma Music.
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August: Thomas's graduate student, Nicholas Han, wins 1st Prize and the special Audience Prize at the 2022 Los Angeles Conducting Competition.
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July: Thomas wins 2nd Place in The American Prize in Orchestral Programming Competition.
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July: Thomas wins the Gold Prize in Conducting in the World Classical Music Awards, Season 2.
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June: Thomas's article "Uncomplicated Inclusion: Strategies for Integrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in College Orchestras" has been accepted for publication in the 2022 CODA Journal.
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June: Thomas's book chapter "Cracking Open the Conducting Closet: Shared Experiences among Queer Conductors" has been selected for inclusion in the book Perspectives on Conducting, which will be published through Routledge Professional Texts in 2023.
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April: Thomas is the Grand Prize Winner in Conducting in the World Classical Music Awards (WCMA), Season 1.
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April: Thomas conducted the Connecticut and New Hampshire All-State Orchestras.
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February: Thomas conducted the Kansas and Idaho All-State Orchestras.
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January: Thomas conducted the Oregon All-State Orchestra.
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January: The OSU Symphony Orchestra performed at the OkMEA All-State Conference for the second time in only six years.