Supported by Tim Fulton & Anna Greenwood

Thomas joined the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as Associate Principal Percussion/Assistant Timpani in 2008.

Prior to his appointment, Thomas spent nearly six years as sub-principal percussionist with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in Kuala Lumpur. Before moving to Malaysia, he worked in his native Denmark, taking on contract positions with various orchestras and briefly serving as principal percussionist for the Aalborg Symphony.

Thomas obtained his Master of Music from the Aalborg Conservatory of Music and his Graduate Diploma in Percussion Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, studying with Will Hudgins from the Boston Symphony.

During his time in the USA, he was a member of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra under Music Director Benjamin Zander and the Callithumpian Consort. He regularly performed with the Rhode Island Philharmonic and New World Symphony, led by Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas.

In 1999, Thomas was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, and in 2000, he received the inaugural John Cage Memorial Award for new music at NEC.

Thomas lives in Miramar with his wife, Margaret, and their three daughters, Natalie, Danielle and Amelia. He has a passion for food and bicycling, and when not practising, he can usually be found in the kitchen or on his bike around the bays of Wellington or in the hills of Makara.

My only claims to fame these days are sadly bike related. On November 7, 2021, I set a new hour record of 42.666km at Wellington Velodrome. In December, I won the Stayers Cup at the same venue. In April 2022, I won gold in the Wellington Centre age group champs ITT and silver in the road race.

Also, in April, I went to Cambridge to race Team NZ on the boards, and my UCI licence now has me racing for Denmark in the Elite. When I say race, I mean we started at the same time. From then on, all I saw was their rear wheels. I am now also a UCI world-ranked track rider. Really low ranked, but still.