Bio

John Patrick Thomas was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1941, and began his music studies as a member of the Columbus ( later American ) Boychoir in Princeton, New Jersey. At the age of 16, he became a composition student of Darius Milhaud and Charles Jones at the Aspen Music School in Colorado and later studied with Andrew Imbrie and Seymour Shifrin at the University of California in Berkeley. Thomas taught for several years at the State University of New York at Buffalo before beginning a concert and opera career in Europe as a countertenor with a special interest in contemporary music. Among the composers who have written for his voice are William Bolcom, David Del Tredici, Peter Eötvös, Morton Feldman, Michael Finnissy, Lukas Foss, Mauricio Kagel, Elisabeth Lutyens, Paul Mefano, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Salvatore Sciarrino. Thomas was a founding member of The Five Centuries Ensemble, which was known for innovative programs juxtaposing Early Music and works by contemporary composers. Over a period of 25 years, Thomas taught singing at the Hamburg Stage School, the Schule für Schauspiel Hamburg, and the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. He lives in Hamburg.

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