Alan Thomas
The guitarist and composer Alan Thomas was born in Atlanta in 1967, and completed his studies at Indiana University and the University of California at San Diego. Moving to England in 1997, he quickly established himself as one of the UK's foremost new music soloists and ensemble players following his first-prize win at the International Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition in Holland (becoming the only guitarist ever to take the top prize). Since then he has pursued an active career as a soloist, as well as performing as a member of the contemporary music groups Apartment House, Lontano, Exposé and the Graham Fitkin Band.
Alan’s compositions focus on the guitar in both solo and chamber music settings, and include a solo guitar concerto, songs, guitar duos/quartets and duos with flute as well as numerous solo works. His work draws freely on a broad range of styles and techniques, ranging from Renaissance polyphony to Ligeti and other modern masters (passing via a quasi-obsession with Rachmaninoff along the way!). Other influences include the music of Africa and the Balkans, as well as computer sound processing and algorhythmic composition. From these diverse sources he has attempted to create music that is both rigorously constructed and accessible.
His music has been performed at festivals including Soundwaves, Bath Guitar Festival, Chester Festival, American National Flute Association, Adur Festival and the Beijing Festival. Recent commissions include pieces for the Cavatina Duo and the British BMG Federation. His recently completed Concerto for Flute and Guitar is the result of close collaboration with the work’s dedicatees, Eugenia Moliner and Denis Azabagic.