Thomas Echols is quickly being recognized, not only as a masterful recitalist, but as an engaging lecturer on contemporary repertoire for the guitar. His recent recital and lecture at the 2010 Guitar Foundation of Americas Annual Convention in Austin, Texas, inspired rave reviews.
A prizewinner in the Portland International Guitar Competition and the Donald Miller Concerto Competition, major engagements have included the Whittier Bach Festival, Whittier, CA, the Hispanic-American Guitar Festival in Tijuana, Mexico, and a recital for the "Music at the Mansion" concert series in Los Angeles.
Accepted at age 16 into the College of Music at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Echols was awarded a full scholarship to study with Dr. Charles Wolzien. He earned a Master of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin, studying with renowned performer and pedagogue, Adam Holzman. He was awarded the Diploma di Merito from the prestigious Accademia Musicale in Siena, Italy, where he studied with Maestro Oscar Ghiglia. Dr. Echols holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California, where he studied with William Kanengiser, Brian Head, and Pepe Romero. He has been inspired by participation in master classes with such world-famous artists as Eliot Fisk, Sergio and Odair Assad, David Russell, Christopher Parkening and David Starobin.
His debut CD, Plainte Calme, includes Elliott Carters Changes along with his own arrangements of works by Olivier Messiaen and Claude Debussy. He has also recorded and toured with the Grammy nominated rock band Devotchka. Dr. Echols resides in Austin, Texas.
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