Huddersfield born Thomas Brown's compositions have been performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Nieuw Ensemble, Aurora Orchestra, Red Note Ensemble, European Youth Brass Band, and Neon - Koor voor Niewste Muziek. Furthermore, they have been heard at the BBC Proms and Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ (Amsterdam), as well as on national radio in the UK and Netherlands. In 2016, musicians joined together to perform in a concert containing a selection of his chamber music and in 2017, his "Fanfare and Theme" formed part of the medals ceremonies of the Total BWF Badminton World Championships and Scottish Open Badminton Grand Prix, the former tournament broadcast to over 0.6 billion people worldwide. HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex was in attendance and requested to meet Thomas, as he’d also heard his music in 2012, when Thomas was asked to write a fanfare for the opening ceremony of Chetham's School of Music's new building. At the age of 15 he arranged music for Britain’s Got Talent winner Paul Potts.
Most of Thomas' work is contemporary classical acoustic concert music, his current compositional interests including new ways of using tonality, harmony – including jazz-inspired harmony and bright colours – and widening ideas of accessibility for audiences and performers. Feedback from music professionals is that it is 'energised', 'explosive', 'wild', 'volatile', 'virtuosic', and 'gripping' yet also 'heart-breaking and gentle', 'a combination of the classical tradition and contemporary techniques' that 'isn’t too academic and modernistic', but is 'accessible' and 'able to hold the attention of the non-specialist'. One of his idols is the Austrian composer HK Gruber, whose music was the subject of his master's research. He also enjoys writing music for events, ceremonies and big band, has an interest in cross collaborative projects and music for media, and has written electroacoustic music.
Generously supported by Moose International, in 2019 Thomas obtained a Master of Music (Composition) degree from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he studied with Richard Ayres and Willem Jeths, following completion of undergraduate studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Prior to this, he was a student at Chetham’s School of Music, at which time he won the BBC Young Composer Competition, Douglas Steele Award, and Holme Valley Parish Council Exceptional Achievers Award.
Conducting is another passion of Thomas’s; for over 10 years he has enjoyed directing his own works as well as others with student, professional, student, amateur, and youth orchestras, brass bands (up to championship section level), large ensembles, and chamber groups. Brass bands he has worked with include: Amsterdam, Glasgow University, Hade Edge, Kirkintilloch, Johnstone, Dunaskin Doon, Kirkintilloch Youth, and Kilmarnock Concert brass bands. Orchestras he has worked with include: Amsterdams Studenten Orkest, Het Almeers Orkest, Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra, Kirklees Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Holmfirth High School Lower School Orchestra. In addition to conducting scratch, student and professional ensembles and choirs, he has also worked with Chetham's Big Band.
In 2016, he attended the MusicFest Aberystwyth Advanced Orchestral Conducting Course, where he conducted the Orion Orchestra and received tuition from Toby Purser. He also received tuition from Jeremy Pike at Chetham's School of Music, as well as Lucas Vis and Karel Deseure at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
He grew up playing cornet, trumpet and flugelhorn in brass bands, big bands, orchestras, and other ensembles. He also plays piano, has appeared as a percussionist at events such as the British and Scottish Open Brass Band Championships, and tutors privately. Mentoring was also part of his previous role as a BBC Proms Inspire Ambassador. He enjoys organising performances and music for events; in 2017, he ran a composers’ orchestral workshop at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
In addition, he is available for music and text editing and copying work, including transposing songs for singers; copying handwritten, hard to read and short scores onto computer software; making neat, professional and easy to read scores and parts for performance, publication, and recording sessions; proofreading scores and parts; proofreading and editing texts in English, e.g. librettos.
