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William Thomas William Thomas is professor of music and chair of the Department of Music at Furman University, where, in addition to administering Furman's large and active undergraduate music program, he teaches conducting, directs the highly acclaimed Furman Chamber Choir and regularly conducts major choral/orchestral works. His experience includes over 30 years of college teaching, a number of significant church music positions and an active professional life as a conductor and vocalist. He has led choral festivals and workshops throughout the Southeast and is active as an adjudicator and clinician in a wide variety of settings. His commitment to the artistic encouragement and development of the state’s gifted young people led to his serving, for many years, as a faculty member of the South Carolina Governors School for the Arts and Humanities. Thomas worked extensively with the late American conductor Robert Shaw as a member of the Robert Shaw Festival Singers and the Atlanta Symphony Chorus and Chamber Chorus, performing and recording in this country and abroad. Highlights of this work include numerous critically acclaimed Carnegie Hall performances and a number of Grammy Award-winning recordings. His association with Mr. Shaw led to his being named Director of the internationally recognized Robert Shaw Choral Institute, which in 1998 was held on the Furman campus. Recent activity includes serving as assistant editor to Robert Blocker in the 2004 Yale University Press publication of “The Robert Shaw Reader.” Dr. Thomas is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Pi Kappa Lambda honor society, the Music Educators National Conference, and is a life member of the American Choral Directors Association.
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