Bill Thomas

York University

Region: Ontario

Publishers: Eighth Note

Institutional webpage: https://ampd.yorku.ca/profile/william-thomas/

Bill Thomas is Associate Professor of Music and conductor of the Wind Symphony at York University in Toronto. A former Drum Corps International adjudicator, he has arranged music for more than 40 marching bands and drum and bugle corps in Canada and the US. Bill’s concert band compositions appear on festival lists across Canada and are published by Eighth Note Publications. He has served on the board of the Ontario Music Educators’ Association and is much in demand as an adjudicator and clinician.

Prior to joining York University’s Department of Music, Bill taught for more than two decades with the York Region District School Board, principally as head of the music department at Markham District High School. His performing groups have won many accolades and awards including the Jazz Report Award for High School Program of the Year. He was awarded an Ontario Band Association award for conducting excellence in 2008.

For many years, Bill has organized and hosted important events in the Toronto area, including the York University/OBA Wind Conductors' Symposium, the Greater Toronto Invitation Festival of Bands, and a regional jazz festival affiliated with MusicFest Canada. In 2021, MusicFest inducted Bill into its Hall of Fame for his contribution to music education on the national level.

Bill is a graduate of the jazz program at Humber College and holds B.Mus. and B.Ed. degrees from the University of Toronto, as well as an M.A. in Composition from York University.

(Composer website, Conn-Selmer Division of Education, Eighth Note Publications, MusicFest Canada, York University)