User:TkeithT/sandbox/T.K. (Tommy) Thompson

T.K. (Tommy) Thompson, American Conductor, Music Director, Producer, Performing Arts Administrator, Educator. (Born: Lebanon, Indiana May 4, 1950)

Mr. Thompson began his association with the arts on Cape Cod at Highfield Theatre in 1970 as a student performer in the ensemble of College Light Opera Company. Mr. Thompson appeared in 25 leading roles before stepping across the footlights to take on the challenges of producing, directing and conducting. His credits include more than 200 productions of musical comedy, operetta, opera and plays with professional, academic and community theatres across the United States.

Mr. Thompson also served as Director of Administration & Operations for The Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana, California. Additionally, as an administrator and educator, Mr. Thompson has served as General Manager & Music Director for Music Theatre of Wichita and Wichita Children's Theatre in Wichita, Kansas; Manager for The Barns of Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts in Vienna, Virginia; Founder/Producer & Artistic Director for Music Theatre North in Potsdam, New York; Development Consultant for Sacramento Theatre Company in Sacramento, California; and Director of Opera/Music Theatre for Crane School of Music, State University of New York in Potsdam. Internationally-known soprano Renée Fleming was among his students at SUNY Potsdam (1978-1981), receiving experience and early training under Mr. Thompson’s stage direction and conductor's baton.

Mr. Thompson has conducted well over 1,000 performances for music theatre companies, opera companies, symphonies, chamber orchestras and choral ensembles. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from Jordan College of Music, Butler University, and the Master of Fine Arts degree in Conducting from Carnegie-Mellon University College of Fine Arts and studied conducting with Grammy Award winner Robert E. Page, Assistant Conductor for the Cleveland Orchestra under Loren Maazel; and with Thomas Michalak, Assistant Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under William Steinberg and André Previn. During his tenure as Music Director for the College Light Opera Company, Music Theatre North and Music Theatre of Wichita, Mr. Thompson’s repertoire grew to include the complete works of Gilbert & Sullivan, Franz Lehar, Johann Strauss and Sigmund Romberg, as well as the classics of Broadway from Jerome Kern to Stephen Sondheim. In seven seasons as Music Director for Music Theatre of Wichita, T.K. conducted 35 productions and served concurrently as Music Director for Wichita Camerata Musica, Wichita Symphony Youth Orchestra and Wichita Children’s Theatre. He appeared as guest conductor for the '''[https://oklahoman.com/article/2046932/visiting-guest-conductor-to-lead-ocu-production-of-susannah? Oklahoma City University production of Carlyle Floyd's "Susannah"]''' on only 48 hours notice. Mr. Thompson has also served on the conducting staff at Carnegie-Mellon University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and Crane School of Music.

T.K. Thompson currently lives in Santa Fe, NM.