Dr. Reed Thomas is the Director of Bands and Professor of Musicand Conducting in the School of Music at Middle Tennessee StateUniversity, a position he has held since 2003. His responsibilitiesinclude conducting the Wind Ensemble and University ChamberWinds, teaching undergraduate courses in conducting andinstrumental methods, graduate courses in conducting and wind andorchestral repertoire, and he guides all aspects of MTSU bandprogram. He is the founding conductor of the Three Rivers WindSymphony, a professional group of wind and percussion playersfrom Northeast Indiana and was the Conductor of the LittletonChamber Winds in Littleton, Colorado from 1997-99. He has been aguest conductor throughout the United States, South Korea, China,Brazil, Panama, Columbia, Costa Rica, Portugal, Russia, UnitedKingdom and several European countries.

Dr. Thomas is an active conductor and clinician who has received praise and critical acclaim for his artistic interpretations,thorough preparation, and innovative programming from composers such as David Maslanka, Nigel Clarke, Pete Madsen,James David, Kit Turnbull, Jonathan Newman, DJ Sparr, Shafer Mahoney, Peter Fischer, Jamie Simmons, and RobertBradshaw, and from solo performers such as Jens Lindeman, Brett Baker, Harmen Vanhoorne, Peter Skaevard Sheppard,Steve Houghton, Eddie Daniels, Jennifer Gunn, David Cooke, Jonathan Gunn, and She-e Wu for his interpretive conducting. His groups have been invited to perform at venues throughout the United States, China, South Korea, Panama and CostaRica. Dr. Thomas is an avid supporter of new music, commissioning over 60 compositions since 2003 and presenting worldpremier performances to well over 45 compositions. He has been a strong supporter to music from Brazil, Latin America,Spain, Portugal, and China.

Dr. Thomas has seven Internationally released Compact Disc’s featuring the MTSU Wind Ensemble including two on theNaxos Label; the critically acclaimed “Angel’s in the Architecture” and “Earthrise;” and four on the Toccata Classics Label;“Nigel Clarke - Music for Symphonic Wind Orchestra,” featuring his epic work, “A Richer Dust,” commissioned by the MTSUWind Ensemble,” “Music for Trombone and Winds,” featuring newly composed works for solo trombone and wind ensemble,Bret Baker soloist, “Chosen Gems of David Maslanka,” and the most recently released “Firedance – Music of Peter Fischer.”

A native of Colorado, Dr. Thomas received his Ph.D. in Music with an emphasis in conducting from the University ofMinnesota and both his Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Music Education from the University of Utah. Prior to hisappointment at MTSU, he conducted at universities in Indiana and Colorado and was a public school Music Director at twohigh schools in Utah. He has written articles for the “Teaching Music Through Performance in Band Series” and is theArtistic Director of the annual Corazon Verde Music Festival in Paraiso, Cartago, Costa Rica. Dr. Thomas is an activemember of several associations including the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), the World Associationfor Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE), Pi Kappa Lambda, Kappa Kappa Psi, and Phi Mu Alpha and is an honorarymember of the Costa Rican Band Directors Association, the Korean Band Association, the China Bandmasters Association,and the Asian Pacific Band Directors Association.