Biography
Thomas Aláan is a countertenor, vocal pedagogue, and conductor based in Chicago, IL. He is currently Director of
Women’s Schola & assistant conductor of the Cathedral Singers at Chicago's
Holy Name Cathedral. He performs early music and liturgical music as a soloist, and sings regularly with
The Rookery.
As the Director of Women’s Schola, Thomas leads performances of standard liturgical music and contemporary compositions. Members of the choir come from both the cathedral parish and from around the Archdicoese of Chicago. They collaborates with other cathedral and external Catholic entities in the performance of sacred music. In addition to his duties as Director, Thomas also assists the Director and Associate Director of Music with the mixed volunteer choir, the Cathedral Singers, and periodically conducts the professional choir, Schola Cantorum Cathedralis.
Thomas' first love is teaching, and he maintains a small studio in Chicago. He is influenced most by the teachings of Manuel García and Berton Coffin, his teachers Joan Wall and Mark Crayton, and voice scientist Ingo Titze. While living in Dallas, Thomas worked with a large and diverse private studio of 55 singers, and he taught at Brookhaven College as Instructor of Voice. His private students have been accepted into vocal programs at the Juilliard School, the Longy School of Music at Bard College, the University of North Texas, Southern Methodist University, and Texas Lutheran University. He is an experienced adjudicator of NATS and Texas All-State Chorus auditions. He is also certified to teach pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade choral music, general music, and instrumental music.
Thomas has a Master of Arts degree in Vocal Pedagogy from
Texas Woman’s University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in music education from
Alderson-Broaddus College. He completed additional training at the
Baroque Performance Institute, the
American Institute of Musical Studies, and
OperaWorks. Thomas has studied voice with Ellen Hargis,
Joan Wall,
Max von Egmond,
Linda Poetschke,
David Brock, and
Lewis Hall.
He has coached with
Ann Baltz,
Beverly Hoch,
Elvia Puccinelli,
Darryl Cooper, and
John Kolody. Additionally, he studied saxophone with
Curtis Johnson, and accompanying and pipe organ with
Jan Corrothers.
He currently studies voice with
Mark Crayton and coaches with
Elizabeth Parker
Thomas is a member of the
National Association of Teachers of Singing,
Early Music America,
American Choral Directors Association,
Acoustical Society of America, and
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia National Fraternity of America, Inc.
In addition to his musical endeavors, Thomas is a photographer and graphic designer, and enjoys cooking both Indian cuisine and Julia Child recipes.
