Thomas Stark
Thomas Stark, Principal Trombonist with the Northwest Indiana Symphony, New Philharmonic, Camerata di Chicago, Elmhurst Symphony, and trombonist with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, received the Bachelor of Music degree from Northern Illinois University, and continued his studies at DePaul University in Chicago.
Mr. Stark is a member of the Chicago Trombone Quartet, Chicago Trombone Consort, Lincoln Park Brass, the Windy City Brass and has performed with prominent US orchestras such as Lyric Opera of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic, Chicago Opera Theater, Kansas City Symphony and Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Elgin Symphony, Lake Forest Symphony, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Boulder Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony (Denver), and the symphonies of Madison (WI), Rockford, and Peoria. He was recently the featured soloist with the Festival Orchestra at the Birch Creek Music Performance Center.
Mr. Stark has also toured the US as bass trombonist with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and trombonist with the Alliance Brass Quintet. He can be heard on recordings with The Alliance Brass Quintet, The Chicago Trombone Consort, The Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, The John Burnett Swing Orchestra, and The Bill O’Connell Skyliners Big Band. He also performed as lead trombonist at the 1996 Montreaux Jazz Festival under the direction of Quincy Jones for the “Quincy Jones – 50 Years in Music” Celebration.
Mr. Stark has also performed with artists such as Irish tenor Ronan Tynan, country music singer Vince Gill, Marie Osmond, Josh Groban, Lorna Luft, Carl Topilow, Quincy Jones, ABBA, Tito Puente, “Blue” Lou Marini, Carl Fontana, Louis Bellson, Clark Terry, Chris Brubeck, Joe Williams, Jack Jones, Marilyn McCoo, Diane Shuur, Diane Reeves, Maureen McGovern, and many more.
In addition to being in demand as a clinician, recitalist, chamber musician, and freelancer in the Chicagoland area, Mr. Stark is the Adjunct Professor of Trombone at Elmhurst University, Concordia University Chicago, Harper College, Birch Creek Music Performance Center, Guest Lecturer at Wheaton College, and was previously Lecturer of Trombone at Illinois State University, and St. Xavier University.