Thomas Pappas

Associate Professor of Music, Oboe
Area(s): Music History, Music Theory, Woodwinds, Private Applied

Education

• DMA, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• MM, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• BA, Grace College

Profile

Thomas Pappas is active as an oboe soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player, and teacher. He has performed throughout the United States, Germany, France, Spain, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Wales. Past solo appearances include performances of oboe concertos in Morehead, KY, Greensboro, NC, and with the Aalen Symphony Orchestra in Germany, where he grew up and first learned how to play the oboe.

An avid chamber musician, Pappas performs with the Solidago Reed Trio, with whom he has performed at the International Double Reed Society’s 2nd Annual Virtual Symposium (2021), the International Clarinet Association’s New Music Weekend (2021), Marshall University’s 12th Annual Festival of New Music (2021), and KMEA (2020). He is also a member of Baird Winds, the faculty woodwind quintet at Morehead State University. He is a founding member of Relevents Wind Quintet, which toured throughout the United States and Germany during their six wonderful years together.

Pappas is currently the principal oboist of the Cave Run Symphony Orchestra. He has performed as a member of the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra and has played with the Winston-Salem, Roanoke, Salisbury, and Western Piedmont Symphony Orchestras, and the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle. He has also served as the principal oboist of Opera Wilmington, Greensboro Light Opera, the NOVUS Chamber Orchestra, and the Fibonacci Chamber Orchestra.

Additional professional conferences/festivals at which Pappas has performed include the Flute Society of Kentucky Festival (2019), Lumina Festival (2017 & 2018), College Music Society (2015), NCMEA (2015), xMUSE (2007), and Hinshaw Celebrations with Dan Forrest (2013) and John Rutter (2007).

Pappas enjoys performing new music and has premiered several works, including ones written for him by his brother, the composer Daniel Pappas. He can be heard on his brother's 2013 album Driving at Night. He can also be heard on Arts for Life (2011) and From the Barrio to the Concert Hall (2010), both with Relevents Wind Quintet, on the original soundtrack from the motion picture Wesley (2009), and on aurora! (2004) with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Wind Ensemble.

Pappas holds the Doctorate of Musical Arts and the Master of Music degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Grace College. Prior to his appointment at Morehead State University, he was in the faculties of High Point University and the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

In his spare time, Pappas enjoys running and hiking on the trails around Morehead, where he resides with cellist Gina Pezzoli and their two children, Luca and Lia.