Thomas W. Jefferson
Pianist, Conductor, and Composer
Piano Faculty at Sherwood Community Music School at Columbia College, Chicago
North Park University, Pastoral Musician
Thomas Wade Jefferson (b. 1963) currently serves as Director of Keyboard Studies and Coordinator of the Chamber Music and Collaborative Pianists programs at North Park University in Chicago.
Jefferson earned his DMA in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the Northwestern University School of Music and received his M.M. in Piano Performance from Chicago Musical College-Roosevelt University, and a B.M. in Music Education from Texas A & I University (Kingsville) with honors.
Regarded as an accomplished performer in both classical and popular genres, he collaborates regularly with various choral groups and musicians in the Chicago area, and has given workshops and master classes on gospel piano and improvisation at the National Pastoral Musicians Convention (NPM) and the Clarence Rivers Institute of the Archbishop Lyke Conference. In addition, he is active as a music transcriber and enjoys composing and arranging music for choir, piano, and other ensembles.
He has published compositions and arrangements through several publishers, including GIA, Augsburg Fortress Press, Simply Liturgical Music, and Concordia Publishing House. Among his most popular works is a two-volume set Let it Shine: Spirituals for Piano and his premiere recording, Impromptu. Thomas is the author of I Hear Music in the Air: Gospel-Style Piano Technique. He serves as music director at the Basilica of Our Lady of Sorrows on Chicago’s west side.
Thomas’s Workshops
Thursday, July 10
Piano concert with Thomas W. Jefferson
Join us for an afternoon concert with Thomas W. Jefferson, featuring a selection of his hymn and spiritual arrangements, which will include both published works and new music.
2:15PM – 2:45PM
Institute Event
Location Pending
Friday, July 11
Piano Arranging: Hymns, Spirituals, and Gospel-Style
There are many ways to enhance a hymn and make your playing more engaging. If you’re looking to expand your knowledge and creativity, join composer/arranger Thomas W. Jefferson for this session where you will learn valuable tips on arranging hymns and spirituals in a classical, Gospel, or jazz style.
10:20AM – 11:35AM
Breakout 9
Location Pending
Arranging for Small Choir: 2-part and 3-part
Are you feeling frustrated because your choir has shrunk in numbers and the old repertoire is no longer appropriate?
Before you consider purchasing new music, it’s worth taking a fresh look at your existing material. In this session, you will learn how to adapt SATB arrangements for smaller groups.