Department:
Music

Biography:
I grew up in Utah and started piano lessons when I was 8 years old. I played the cello through high school as well, but eventually settled on piano as my main instrument. I knew already by age 9 that I wanted to be a musician, and that I wanted to get a doctoral degree and teach in a university. I had outstanding teachers along the way to that goal including Irene Peery, Claude Frank, Peter Frankl, and Arthur Greene.

As a pianist, I have performed throughout the United States, Canada, Scandinavia, and Japan. I have played concerti with several California orchestras, as well as recitals in cities such as Chicago, San Francisco, and Copenhagen. I have recorded for the Einstein label and released a CD with Julie Ann Giacobassi of the San Francisco Symphony (English horn) which includes new works written expressly for her (see http://fishcreekmusic.com/fcm_cds.htm). I have just recorded a solo piano CD which will be available soon. As a teacher and adjudicator, I have given numerous master classes and judged piano competitions throughout the country.

In 1996, I joined the faculty here and served as Department Chair from 2000-06. Since coming here, I founded the Ghiglieri Piano Competition and the Piano Sessions at Summer Music at Stanislaus (see http://www.csustan.edu/music/camp/piano.html )

My wife Susan and I are the parents of four children.

Academic Credentials:
B.M., (1991) Piano Performance and Pedagogy, Brigham Young University
M.M., (1993) Piano Performance, Yale University
D.M.A., (1997) Piano Performance and Pedagogy, University of Michigan
Additional doctoral study at The Royal Danish Conservatory of Music (Copenhagen, Denmark, 1996)

Area of expertise:
I teach piano and piano-related courses such as piano literature, keyboard harmony, and piano pedagogy, along with various music theory courses for all music majors.

As a pianist, I perform everything from solo recitals to chamber music to concertos. I particularly enjoy playing music by Brahms, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven as well as Debussy and Bartok. I am also interested in new music and have premiered several pieces by contemporary composers, and have enjoyed consulting with composers such as Henryk Gorecki and William Bolcom on performances of their music.

I also enjoy collaborating with singers in recitals of art songs, opera excerpts, and musical theatre. To me, all music derives from the way our voices produce sound and express our inner experience. I always try to help my students hear the way the human voice relates to playing any instrument with real musical beauty

What have you learned from your students?
From teaching, I have learned the importance of breaking down large, complex problems into a series of smaller, clearly defined, manageable objectives. Through my work with students, I have been continually developing a very detailed study and practice approach to help students learn pieces and concepts in an effective and timely way.

Why do students choose CSU Stanislaus?
Any prospective student who really looks at CSU Stanislaus will quickly discover the huge advantage students have in the personalized education they get here. I can’t think of a more important element to student success than personal attention from mentors and teachers. Students get it here partly because of the size of the University, but more importantly, because there is an exceptional culture of caring in the faculty. The faculty really wants every student to succeed, and will do whatever they can to ensure that will happen.

How do students succeed in your class?
Students succeed in my classes by trusting the learning processes I help them set up for themselves, and then by simply doing the work. I have often observed that the real success in life goes more often to the people who simply do their basic work every day without fail than to the merely talented. I do my best to make expectations and processes very clear, and to assist students in learning the habits of work that will move them forward, step by step, to greater understanding and mastery of the information and tasks required of them.

What brought you to CSU Stanislaus?
I chose CSU Stanislaus largely on the strength of the wonderful experience I had visiting and getting to know the students and faculty on campus during the interview. The possibility of having colleagues that are both outstanding professionals and at the same time very collegial was very appealing to me. In the years that have come and gone since, I have found that my work with the students in a very positive and supportive work environment has been tremendously rewarding.

If you were not teaching, what other career do you see yourself in?
I have a secret ambition to be a writer. I enjoy reading literature immensely, and have been known to attempt to write poetry at times. I believe there is a link between music and writing in that both musicians and writers deal with the very deep, sometimes mysterious inner workings of the mind and soul, and do their best to bring those elements to expression in some form.

Describe a former student who has attained professional success.
There are many students whose progress and success I would love to take credit for, but all student success is the product of many people's efforts, not least the student's. A couple of examples, however, might include Cameron Hofman, a piano major from our Department, became a staff accompanist at Yuba College, and then went on to a doctoral degree at the University of Minnesota. Another student who studied both music theory and piano with me is Leah Carl, whose primary instrument is violin. She recently finished a master's degree at San Francisco State. Her successes are many, and include performances with the Alexander String Quartet, and continued studies in chamber music at Tanglewood, which is one of the world's premiere summer music institutes.

E-mail Address:
sthomas@csustan.edu