C. Thomas Brooks

About

C. Thomas Brooks is a distinguished choral conductor, voice teacher, opera conductor, and music clinician with an international reputation. After completing his graduate work at New England Conservatory, Brooks established himself in Erie, Pennsylvania, where from 1971 to 1974 he organized and conducted the Mercyhurst College Choir and Chamber Singers, and was chosen as conductor of the Symphonic Singers of Erie in their twenty-fifth anniversary season. Under his leadership, the Erie Philharmonic Chorus has grown to over ninety singers and performs a diverse repertoire including works by Bach, Elders, Whitaker, and major choral masterworks. As a conductor and clinician, Brooks has performed and taught throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, including venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York City, Victoria Hall in Geneva, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and Salzburg Cathedral in Salzburg, Austria. After his time in Erie, he held top choral positions at Texas Tech University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Gordon College in Massachusetts, where he served as Chair of Music for 25 years. Brooks is also the Music Director at Park Street Church in Boston since 1999, co-founder of the Salzburg Institute (2008), and has created educational video series and co-authored texts on vocal training. After retiring from his full-time positions in Boston, he returned to his home base in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Education & Qualifications

Graduate Studies, New England Conservatory of Music; Additional advanced study in conducting and voice at major conservatories

Teaching Styles