Titans Orchestras

About Your Orchestra Teacher

MR. THOMSON

George Thomson grew up in Sunnyvale, California, and attended the University of California at Berkeley, where he received A.B. and M.A. degrees in Music, studying conducting with Michael Senturia and Philip Brett. Before becoming a teacher, he enjoyed a career as a freelance musician, holding a variety of posts including Principal Violist of the Carmel Bach Festival, Associate Conductor of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, and Music Director of the Marin Symphony Youth Orchestra.

As an educator he was for 11 years the Music Director of the Virtuoso Program at San Domenico School in San Anselmo, California, a unique opportunity for high school students to pursue intensive orchestral and chamber music training in addition to a rigorous college preparatory curriculum. The San Domenico Orchestra da Camera, under Mr. Thomson’s direction, won the “Grand Champion” award at the National Orchestra Festival sponsored by the American String Teachers’ Association on three occasions–in 2005, 2008, and 2010. The Virtuoso Program was featured in the February 2004 issue of Strings Magazine, and was featured on the nationally-broadcast radio program “From the Top” in February of 2006.

George moved to Salem, Oregon in 2010. He taught at McNary High School in Keizer and Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis; since 2013 he has worked at West Salem High School, teaching Orchestra, Music Theory, and Music Appreciation. He has performed with several local ensembles including the Salem Orchestra, the Corvallis/OSU Symphony, the Newport Symphony, the Chintimini Chamber Music Festival, and the Oregon Bach Festival. He resides in Salem with his wife, musician and writer Michelle Dulak Thomson, and two cats, Lili and Charlie.

Mr. Thomson's YouTube channel