Originally from Carrollton, MO, composer/conductor/tenor Dr. Jackson Thomas has been the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Central Missouri since 2021. Previously the Associate Director of Choral Activities/Opera Director at UCM, Jackson has held primary and secondary teaching positions in both Missouri and Kansas, and is the Founder/Artistic Director of KC VITAs (kcvitas.org) which has brought nearly 100 world premiere performances to Kansas City audiences since 2015. He also serves as Director of Choral Music at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Lenexa, KS, Artistic Director of the Northland Community Choir, is an active soloist, and maintains a private voice studio.
Dr. Thomas holds degrees in Vocal Performance (B.A., University of Nebraska-Lincoln) and Choral Conducting (M.M., D.M.A. University of Kansas.) His research centers around composer-conductor collaboration, inclusivity, and the pedagogy of minimalist and extended vocal techniques. His compositions can be found at MusicSpoke.com, or through his website (www.jacksoncthomas.com.)