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Nick Thomas
Percussion Instructor
Nick Thomas is the Director of Bands at Colleyville Heritage High School in Colleyville, TX. His responsibilities include direction of the Colleyville Heritage Wind Symphony and the Colleyville Heritage Marching Band. He is currently on the Percussion Staff of the Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps from Rockford, IL and has served on the Visual & Percussion Staff of The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps from Rosemont, IL.
A percussion specialist, Mr. Thomas is a native of Houston, Texas and a product of the Clear Lake High School and Space Center Intermediate School Band programs. Mr. Thomas received his Bachelors Degree in Music Education at the University of North Texas and his Masters Degree in Educational Administration at the University of Texas at Arlington. He is in his tenth year as a Texas music educator, with previous teaching opportunities served at McMillen High School in Plano ISD, Carroll Middle School in Southlake TX, and L.D. Bell High School in Hurst TX.
Mr. Thomas marching and concert ensembles have consistently received superior division ratings at the University Interscholastic League Marching, Concert & Sightreading contests, and have earned distinction as “Best in Class” at various regional concert festivals. During their 2011-2012 inaugural year, the McMillen Wind Ensemble and Marching Band each received First Division ratings at UIL competition, thereby earning the school’s first Sweepstakes Award in the process. In 2010 the Carroll Middle School Wind Ensemble received national recognition as a Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Honors finalist. Mr. Thomas marching ensembles have earned national and state honors including the L.D. Bell Blue Raider Band winning the 2007 Bands of America Grand National Championship, and winning the Outstanding Music Caption at Grand Nationals for 2 consecutive years, from 2006-2007. In 2004 and 2006 the L.D. Bell Marching Band was named the 5A UIL Texas State Marching Band Champion and State Runner-Up, respectively. In 2004, the L.D. Bell Marching Band was also the recipient of the John Philip Sousa Sudler Shield award for excellence in marching band performance.
Mr. Thomas marched in the snareline with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from Rosemont, IL for three years and served as snare technician and drumline visual instructor for two seasons. While with the corps, Mr. Thomas earned back-to-back World Championships in 2001 and in the undefeated 2002 season before aging-out in 2003. While on staff, the corps went on to win its 6th title in 2004 and finished in second place in 2005. Mr. Thomas is also an alumnus of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps from Rockford, IL where he marched in the snareline during the 2000 season. In 2000, Mr. Thomas also performed with the University of North Texas A-Line, winning the 2000 Percussive Arts Society College Marching Percussion Championship.
Mr. Thomas’ primary professional influences have included Jolette Wine, Evelio Villarreal, Jana Harvey, John Brennan, Cindy Lansford, Steve Madsen, Jeremy Earnhart, John Pollard, Jeff Fiedler, Bret Kuhn, Jim Bailey, Dr. Robert Schietroma, Mark Ford, Paul Rennick, Dr. Nicholas Williams, Andres Aya, John Parsons, Jason Pena, Richard Bass, Caroline Beatty, Matt Quinlan and Greg Dick. Mr. Thomas’ professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association and The Cavalier Alumni Association. Mr. Thomas is an educational artist/endorser for Remo Drumheads and Innovative Percussion, Inc.
Mr. Thomas met his beautiful wife Gwen while they both performed with the Phantom Regiment in the summer of 2000. Gwen is an elementary special education teacher at Castle Hills Elementary School in Lewisville ISD and together they have a very precocious cat named Belle.
