August Thoma

Background

About August Thoma

I have been working professionally in Music, Music Education, and related areas since 1976. In Music Education, I spent 24 years as Director of Bands at Rochester (MI) High School, a Detroit-area suburb. The program grew significantly during my tenure there. I taught Marching Band, various concert bands, jazz ensemble, guitar, and music theory. The Marching Band grew from 65 members to 235, and the concert bands grew from 45 students to well over 200. We also had a very strong interest in Chamber Music and Solo/Ensemble, with many students earning honors at the District and State Levels. I was honored to be selected as the MSBOA District 16 Teacher of the Year for Band in 1994 and 2007. After retiring from my position at Rochester High School, I served as Director of Bands and Adjunct Instructor of Music from 2007-2014 at Rochester (MI) College. I directed the Concert Band, expanding this ensemble from 20 to 65 players, adding adult performers from surrounding communities to our student and faculty members. I also taught Methods Classes and Applied Woodwinds. I began teaching Methods classes at RC in I also served as a Lecturer in Music Education at Oakland University, Rochester, MI, from 2001-08. Previous positions were Director of Bands at Van Hoosen Junior High School in the Rochester Community School District from 1979-83, and Elementary Instrumental Music Teacher in the Lake Orion (MI) Schools from 1977-79. I was Director of Music Ministry at St. John Fisher University Parish, Auburn Hills, MI, from 1978-2014. I serve as an Adjudicator for the Florida Bandmasters Association and the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, and as a clinician for a number of schools in Florida and Michigan. I also work as a private studio teacher for clarinet and saxophone. I have worked as a professional Tour Director since 2008 for Brightspark and Worldstrides Travel, and before that, New Horizons Tour and Travel. I am Music Director and Conductor of the Sanibel (FL) Big Arts Concert Band.