Lionel Thomas currently resides in Wilmington, Delaware where he teaches violin and viola as Suzuki Academy Associate Department Head at the Music School of Delaware and is violinist with the Nagoya String Quartet. Mr. Thomas also teaches music courses as Associate Adjunct Professor at Delaware State University.  Prior teaching appointments include Bermuda School of Music, University of Oregon Community Music Institute, and Temple University Music Prep. Educational background includes doctoral studies at University of Oregon as a graduate teaching fellow, MM in performance from University of Cincinnati, and BM cum laude in performance and music education from University of Oregon School. Principal teachers include Kathryn Lucktenberg, Kurt Sassmannshaus, Marc Rovetti, and Fritz Gearhart. In past summers Mr. Thomas attended Aspen Music Festivals as a scholarship student. He was also a recipient of an American Suzuki Institute Shinichi Suzuki Teacher Trainer Scholarship.  As a performer, Mr. Thomas currently plays with Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra and has been a member of the Mann Center Festival Orchestra, Oregon Mozart Players, and other professional ensembles. A performance highlight occurred in the spring of 2022 when Mr. Thomas performed at Carnegie Hall with the Gateways Music Festival Orchestra and Grammy winner Jon Batiste. Mr. Thomas has a strong passion for teaching and is committed to achieving optimal results in his students while nurturing a sense of appreciation and joy for music. He has worked closely with master teachers from the Philadelphia Orchestra in helping students to reach their musical goals.Mr. Thomas’s Suzuki students range in age from 4 years old to 16 years old. Mr. Thomas has helped students win top prizes in the International Oskar Rieding and Music School of Delaware Concerto Competitions, acceptance into National Youth Orchestra 2, Princeton University Orchestra, DMEA All State Honor Orchestra, and the Seattle Philharmonic, in addition to many other honors. Students who have worked with Mr. Thomas have been recognized by the Royal Conservatory of Music, and performed at prestigious venues such as Weill Hall in New York City. He has also had multiple students invited to the Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth (PMAY). Reading, running, and long walks with pug, Reine are a few of Lionel’s spare time activities. He has completed three half marathons and one day hopes to run a full marathon.