Concertmaster

THOMAS T. KEELEY

Originally from Las Vegas, Thomas relocated to Dallas after graduating college. Thomas Keeley earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His primary instructor was Martha Gronemeier, the Assistant Concertmaster of the Las Vegas Philharmonic and adjunct professor at UNLV. During his time at UNLV he enjoyed collaborating with some of classical music’s biggest stars, including Hillary Hahn, Oleg Krysa, Sarah Chang, and the incomparable Itzhak Perlman.

Currently, Mr. Keeley is pursuing a dual master’s in music education and violin performance at the University of Texas, Arlington. He is studying violin under Elizabeth Elsner, concertmaster of the Abilene Philharmonic and active violinist in the Fort Worth Symphony and Dallas Opera.

Previously, Thomas served as an orchestra director in Mesquite ISD, the founding director of the String Explorers orchestra at DAAYO (Dallas Asian American Youth Orchestras), as a string clinician and private lesson teacher for Richardson ISD, and 4 years as orchestra director at Rosemont Schools in Dallas ISD. In 2020, Mr. Keeley was approached for hire as a strings specialist, UIL adjudicator, and clinician with Cedar Hill ISD.

Thomas has enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with some of DFW’s finest arts organizations. In addition to his responsibilities as concertmaster of NTSO, Thomas has played as a section violinist with the Sherman Symphony Orchestra since 2015. Previously, he has played with the Turtle Creek Chorale and Uptown Players as well as several musical theater productions including Pippin, Cabaret, Beauty and the Beast, Fiddler on the Roof, Bright Star, Young Frankenstein, Shrek! The Musical, The Phantom of the Opera, and more. In April 2017, he played in the pit for the world premiere of Larry Gatlin’s “Quanah” at Lyric Stage.

TK lives in Old East Dallas with his husband Sergi, who teaches elementary art in Dallas ISD, and their cats Gazpacho and Cebollina. In his rare spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, cooking, keeping up with current events and politics (being upset by the doom rectangle), reading, live music, museums, and video games.

Mr. Keeley plays on a 1923 Ernst Heinrich Roth violin and a 2006 John Norwood Lee Bow, both acquired from Bein and Fushi in Chicago.