In the latest development in his long and varied music career, Henderson native Adam Thomas has been promoted to artistic director and conductor of the Louisville Civic Orchestra.
The orchestra is a nonprofit collective of professional and non-professional musicians who love orchestral music and perform free concerts through the year for the greater Louisville community.
“We have a bunch of Realtors, students, teachers,” in the orchestra, Thomas said. “I believe we have a judge within our ranks.” Henderson native Paul Metzger performed with the orchestra this past season as well.
“Everyone is there because they love making music and want to play at the highest possible level,” Thomas said.
Thomas, 37, will continue his day job as the administrative specialist to the University Bands at the University of Louisville School of Music.
Thomas joined the LCO in 2021. He principally had performed as a clarinetist, but the orchestra already had a full bevy of clarinetists. So, he became a member of its percussion section.
Over time, he became LCO’s assistant conductor, then associate conductor.
“I took this on because it’s a passion of mine,” Thomas said.
The position of head conductor became vacant when LCO’s previous artistic director and conductor, Gabriel Lefkowitz, recently accepted a position as music director of the Louisville Youth Orchestra, which is in addition to his roles as concertmaster and resident conductor of The Louisville Orchestra.
Ordinarily, the LCO would conduct a search for a new artistic director and conductor, including an audition process. But the orchestra’s board of directors recommended promoting Thomas instead; the LCO said a majority of the orchestra’s musicians voted in favor of that recommendation.
“It’s a huge honor and very humbling.” Thomas said. “I appreciate they thought I have been of some service the last few years and they wanted my role to not only continue, but to expand.”
In a Facebook post, the LCO said: “Adam is a skilled conductor and talented arts administrator. He is deeply familiar with the logistical and recruitment challenges that face orchestras today. His background and proven track record of creative programming as LCO’s associate conductor gave the musicians and board confidence that Adam’s appointment addresses the unique challenges of our sudden vacancy, which include building a season of repertoire, maintaining musician retention and allowing the organization to operate with stability and on-budget.”
As new artistic director, “Obviously my primary responsibility is to program and conduct the concert seasons,” Thomas said.
Each LCO season consists of three “more classical signature concerts, great works of the orchestral repertoire,” he said.
The orchestra also performs pop concerts as well as a holiday concert each year.
In addition to programming concerts, Thomas said he will help with the scheduling of the season – choosing dates and venues.
Further, “I certainly will be a representative of the orchestra to the public, to promote our concerts and the organization itself.”
And he will assist the orchestra’s executive director in fundraising, among other administrative duties.
Thomas is the son of Steve and Susan Thomas, who now reside in New Albany, Indiana.
He is a graduate of Henderson County High School and the University of Louisville, holding a master of music in wind conducting, a master of arts in teaching and a bachelor of music education.
Thomas has been a member of the board of the Chamber Music Society of Louisville for three seasons, and the music director for CenterStage’s 2024 production of “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.”
Thomas previously served as the director of operations for the Louisville Orchestra, having first worked as the assistant to the music director and artistic coordinator. During his time there, the orchestra worked with such guests as Yo-Yo Ma, Kelli O’Hara and Chris Thile, won a Grammy Award with Yuja Wang and performed across Kentucky, including inside Mammoth Cave.
Before that, Thomas was the director of bands at Henderson County High for four years. Under his direction, Henderson’s concert ensembles received consistent distinguished ratings. He conducted the wind ensemble in two performances at the 2016 National Memorial Day Concert Series in Washington, D.C.
Thomas has been a member of Chamber Winds Louisville since 2009. He performed in multiple countries across Europe on three tours as a Kentucky Ambassadors of Music staff member. With the University of Louisville Wind Symphony, he performed concerts in Killarney, Ireland and twice in New York City’s Carnegie Hall. He returned to Carnegie Hall a third time to perform with the University of Louisville Singing Cardsmen.
Thomas has also guest-conducted the Kentucky Chamber Orchestra and the University of Louisville Symphony Orchestra.
“It has been a winding path, I can tell you that,” he said. “But every experience I’ve had has made me more prepared for the next experience.”
