About the Artistic Director

Thomas W. Douglas

Thomas is beginning his seventh season as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh.  He brings vast experience in classical and popular music to the Choir, having performed in or conducted over 175 musical theatre, opera and oratorio productions.  Highlights include conducting the first Swiss company of Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s Phantom of the Opera in Basel, Switzerland, Master Class at City Theatre, and the stage roles of Fats Waller in Ain't Misbehavin in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Daddy Brubeck in Sweet Charity and Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors.  He has also been the guest soloist for Joe Negri's jazz Mass of Hope. Thomas works frequently as Musical Director for Pittsburgh's City Theatre and Music Theater of Wichita and has been the recipient of the Robert Frankel, Mary Jane Teall awards for contribution to the arts communities of Pittsburgh and Wichita.  This year he was named to the New Pittsburgh Courier’s 50 Men of Excellence.  Thomas has been the guest conductor of the Dallas Symphony Chorus with conductor Eduardo Mata.  With the Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh, he conducted the premiere of Nathan Davis's Jazzopera: Just Above My Head, Oscar Hammerstein's Carmen Jones and Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.  He has worked with the Pittsburgh Symphony, River City Brass, Canton Symphony, Pittsburgh Opera, Edgewood Symphony, Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony, Pittsburgh Philharmonic, East Carolina Summer Theatre, and the Children's Festival Chorus.  Thomas has been the Chorus Master of the Canton Symphony and served as a member of the Choral/Opera Panel for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.  This is Thomas's 20th year at Carnegie Mellon University, where he serves on the faculty of both the Drama School and the Music School.