Dr. Thomas brings to the University of Florida an unusually vast wealth of performing experience, having appeared as soloist and recitalist, orchestral and chamber musician and conductor on four continents. His repertoire includes classical and non-classical music from Baroque to newly-commissioned works, as well as Broadway shows and popular music. Whether playing a Bach suite, conducting a Beethoven symphony, or narrating his own version of Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale, his performances are consistently described as having "...everything to do with art." (The Birmingham News)
A top prize-winner in the Villa-Lobos (Rio) and Bach (Washington) International Cello Competitions, as well as the Hudson Valley and Charleston Competitions, Dr. Thomas has appeared as soloist with orchestras in North and South America and throughout Europe. As a member of the Cantilena Piano Quartet, he toured and performed in most of the major concert halls of Europe and the U.S. He has performed as recitalist and chamber musician at festivals such as Windsor (England), Gstaad (Switzerland), the Israel Festival (Jerusalem), Prague, Tivoli (Denmark), Itu and Fortaleza (Brazil). As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with such renowned artists as Yehudi Menuhin, Erick Friedman, Donald MacInnes, Jesse Levine, Joseph Robinson, David Shifrin, Peter Frankl, Boris Berman and the Miami String Quartet.
Steven Thomas has served as the Principal Cellist of several symphony and chamber orchestras, including the New Haven Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra New England, and has given over 1,500 concerts in that role in the last 25 years. He is also the Music Director and conductor of the Saybrook Orchestra at Yale University.
Having received his early training at the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin School in England, Dr. Thomas was a student of Maurice Gendron and William Pleeth. He holds degrees from Cambridge and Yale Universities, including a Doctorate from the latter, where he studied with Aldo Parisot. He also earned a Performer's Diploma from the Royal College of Music (London) at the age of 17.
As a result of his extensive solo, chamber music and orchestral background, Steven Thomas is widely regarded as one of the foremost teacher-pedagogues and chamber music coaches of his generation, and is regularly sought-after for classes in orchestral audition preparation. He has also enjoyed a long relationship with underpriviledged students in many parts of Brazil.
He has recorded for the MVL, Point, Delos, Koch International and MMO labels.
"Steven Thomas' [...] command of the score was admirable in every way [...] painting sound-pictures in delicious detail..." (New Haven Advocate)
"...sensational..." (Jornal do Brasil)