Welcome to the site of guitarist and composer Alan Thomas.
Whether performing the complete lute works of J.S. Bach, sharing the stage with artists as diverse as Alfie Boe and Aphex Twin, or composing genre-defying music with computer interaction, Alan Thomas has been devoted to exploring the guitar’s many personalities and sonic possibilities.
A Nice Review of the Cavatina Duo's "Sephardic Journey" CD
"A tone of gravitas is immediately apparent in the Trio Sefardi by frequent Cavatina collaborator Alan Thomas, aided by the addition of cello to the duo. Each of the three movements is based on a Sephardic song. Thomas' music is compositionally sophisticated, but without any sacrifice of power or urgency. The longest movement is the first, free variations on a song of lamentation. The next two movements, while shorter and lighter in tone add to a work which is an important addition to the repertoire." [Al Kunze, Soundboard magazine]
playing Steve
Reich's "Electric Counterpoint" with live remixing by Aphex Twin
(one of my musical heroes) at the Sacrum Profanum festival in Poland. Almost certainly the only chance I'll ever get to play for 5000 people in a giant steel factory filled with
lasers (and Steve Reich on his 75th birthday)
(I'm the little
speck to the right of Aphex Twin)
My new CD with harpist Eleanor Turner, Elusive Symmetry, has just received a nice review in Classical Guitar magazine:
"The music on this fascinating new CD was inspired by some of M.C. Escher's pictures and bearing in mind the quirkiness of Escher's material, the Turner/Thomas harp and guitar duo have been very successful in their attempt to capture in music what he put down on canvas....The music itself is most alluring, appealing and interesting and it is this last quality which raises the attractiveness of this disc from many others I have recently come across. Some of the compositions are quite surreal and impressionistic while others are just simply, beautiful."
My compositions on the album combine
elements of minimalism, avant-something or other and electronica. For more info check it out here!