Biography
Award-winning vocalist, G. Thomas Allen, affectionately known as "Sir Thomas”, serves on the voice faculty of Columbia College of Chicago (home of the Center for Black Music Research). Past affiliation with Howard University, as an Assistant Professor of Voice, where he specialized in contemporary, jazz, and popular music styles, and led their HU Jazz Singers. With over a decade of teaching experience, he has also held key positions at ChiArts Conservatory as the Jazz & Contemporary Voice instructor, and at Carthage College as a Diversity Fellow Teaching Scholar. As a voice practitioner, his innovative pedagogical approach and research focuses on integrating contemporary commercial strategies into educational frameworks, bridging diverse musical genres.
A celebrated countertenor, Allen's work spans opera, sacred music, and concert work. He made a historic operatic debut in 2014 with the Los Angeles Opera and has appeared on platforms like Saturday Night Live, NPR, and CNN - with notable performances at The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Vatican. He has been featured on two GRAMMY-nominated projects with gospel icon Ricky Dillard.
In 2021, Allen became the first male winner of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, propelling him to global prominence. His dedication to music education is evident through presenting at conferences such as ACDA, GMWA, and JEN. His students have achieved notable success, including Broadway performances, national tour headlining, competition placements, and Billboard chart rankings.
He is also the CEO and founder of Allen Studios, LLC, based in Chicago, and an active member of NATS and MTEA.
Instructional Areas
MUSC 174-07, MUSC 271, MUSC 371, MUSC 471
Creative Practice and Research Interests
Improvisation, Post-bop Jazz, Gospel, Countertenor, Gender and Music Composition
Degrees
B.A., Speech Communication & Music Morgan State University 2006
B.A., Music Morgan State University 2013
M.M., Music Theatre Vocal Carthage College 2023