Welsh violinist Thomas Mathias has been broadcast live as a soloist on S4C and BBC Radio Cymru, and has given recitals across Europe and North America. In January 2023, Thomas reached the live rounds of the Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition. Thomas was privileged to perform on a 1769 G.B. Guadagnini violin at the competition, on generous loan from the J&A Beare International Violin Society. Recent highlights also include solo and chamber appearances in Hawai’i, Texas, Nevada, Indiana, and the UK.

As a soloist, Thomas has performed with orchestras in the UK and USA, including Sinfonia Cambrensis, Aberystwyth Philomusica, Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra, and RNCM Chamber Orchestra. Thomas will give the world premiere of Kian Ravaei’s new violin concerto in 2025 with Sinfonia Cymru/Aberystwyth Philomusica.

As part of the Canone Quartet, Thomas was awarded the ‘Kuttner Quartet-in-Residence’ position at Indiana University, leading to concerts and projects representing the university throughout the US, including the world premiere of Don Freund’s ‘Kaleidoscope Eyes’. Thomas has performed chamber music alongside international artists such as Lawrence Power, Atar Arad, Tom Poster, and Maya Iwabuchi.

Orchestrally, Thomas has performed with orchestras across the UK and USA, including the BBC Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Sinfonia Cymru, and the London Symphony Orchestra Academy. In the USA, Thomas has played in the Sarasota Orchestra as a substitute, and was appointed Concertmaster of Ballet Indiana in 2022. Performances have taken him to The Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms, Buckingham Palace, and across Europe, the Middle East, and North America. In 2018, Thomas was invited to Granada Studios to be part of the soundtrack for the BBC’s broadcast of the FA Cup Final.

Thomas is a member of the acclaimed Classical-Film crossover duo, 8Strings, with award-winning composer, Stuart Bramwell. Their first video, an arrangement of the ‘Game of Thrones’ score, has been featured in an article by Classic FM as one of the greatest covers of the Game of Thrones theme.

'Poliphonia’ selected Thomas to represent them as a Young Artist, leading to concerts promoting relatively unknown works of the Americas. Thomas is also an arranger of Welsh music, with his acclaimed version of Myfanwy broadcast on S4C in 2019.

Thomas is currently studying at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, USA, with the legendary pedagogue Mauricio Fuks. Named a winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s ‘Julius Isserlis’ Scholarship for overseas’ study, Thomas is a Master’s graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, where he was awarded the prestigious ABRSM scholarship along with a DipRAM for outstanding performance. Prior to the Academy, Thomas studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, winning the major violin prizes during his time there. Thomas has played at festivals such as the Heifetz International Music Institute (USA), Cambridge International Violin Academy, and the Orford Academy, Canada. He has played in masterclasses with James Ehnes, Kolja Blacher, Ilya Kaler, Ning Feng, and Elmar Oliveira. Thomas is also a past winner of the Urdd National Eisteddfod Instrumental Competition. Past teachers include So-Ock Kim, Alexander Sitkovetsky, Leland Chen, Deirdre Ward, and Isobelle McGuinness.

An interest in research has led to Thomas being awarded the Presser Foundation’s graduate research award, which will allow him to conduct further studies into practice efficiency. Thomas has presented his research in the USA, Japan, and Poland at leading international conferences. Thomas is a member of the Music and Mind Lab at Indiana University.

Thomas plays a 1979 Sergio Peresson violin and a Lucchi bow, on generous loan from the Jacobs School of Music and the Maestro Foundation respectively. Thomas is grateful for the support of the Royal Philharmonic Society, ABRSM, the Countess of Munster Trust, the Ryan Davies Memorial Fund, Aberystwyth Arts Centre’s Sir Ian McKellen award, and Aberystwyth Masonic Lodge.

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