Born and raised in the San Francisco bay area, Thomas currently serves as acting Assistant Principal Trumpet of the Grand Rapids Symphony in Michigan. Appointed by Marcelo Lehninger in 2024, Thomas starts his third season in Grand Rapids after two years with the Des Moines Metro Opera and one season with the Berlin Opera Academy Orchestra in Berlin, Germany. He has given masterclasses at Central Michigan University and Grand Valley State University, and has recorded & performed under the baton of Dr. Mallory Thompson with the Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble while also touring the country as solo cornet with the Chicago Brass Band & rotating principal trumpet of the Chicago Wind Symphony. He has performed in Carnegie Hall, the Hawaii Theater, and was a Concerto Competition winner while at the University of the Pacific’s Conservatory of Music. Thomas has performed with Yo-Yo Ma, Tip “T.I.” Harris, and can be heard on many recordings for Blue Lake Public Radio.

Thomas also maintains an active schedule as a teacher, clinician, and adjudicator. Thomas served on brass staff under JD Shaw at the Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps from 2021-2024, and before that as Brass Caption Head with the Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets from 2019-2022. As a member, Thomas performed with the 7-time world champion Santa Clara Vanguard from 2015-2018, spending multiple years as a soloist under the direction of Dr. Chip Crotts and aging out as a DCI World Champion, recipient of the Jim Ott Memorial Brass Trophy, and winning the Santa Clara Vanguard’s Mike Korten Memorial Brass Award.

Thomas holds a Master of Music Degree from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music. His primary teachers include David Bilger, Tom Rolfs, Michael Sachs, Scott Macomber, and Leonard Ott. He maintains a private studio of students in person and online.