Thomas Wilkins points out that classical music is ‘not a career, it’s a calling’

With a life-long devotion to and enthusiasm for music, Thomas Wilkins brings energy and commitment to audiences of all ages. A frequent guest conductor at Symphony Center, he is hailed as a master at communicating and connecting with audiences.

Among his many posts are principal conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Boston Symphony’s artistic adviser for education and community engagement and principal guest conductor of the Virginia Symphony. He also holds Indiana University’s Henry A. Upper Chair of Orchestral Conducting, established by the late Barbara and David Jacobs as a part of IU’s “Matching the Promise Campaign.”

Wilkins completed his long and successful tenure as music director of the Omaha Symphony Orchestra at the end of its 2020-2021 season. Other past positions have included resident conductor of the Detroit Symphony and Florida Orchestra (Tampa Bay), and associate conductor of the Richmond Symphony in Virginia.  He also has served on the music faculties of North Park University (Chicago), the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga and Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. 

Recently Wilkins, who leads CSO for Kids concerts May 3 and a Civic Orchestra of Chicago concert on May 5, sat for an interview with the site Florida Trend and shared his thoughts about classical music: “This is not a career — it’s a calling.” 

An ambition born in childhood: When I was 8 years old, I decided I wanted to be a conductor. I heard the Norfolk Symphony [of Virginia], and I was mesmerized by that man standing on the podium. He was emotionally and physically engaged, and I knew that’s where I wanted to be.

Music came easy to him: In junior high school, I played cello in the orchestra and tuba in the band. I wanted to be in the band because of the uniforms; I thought they were cool and kind of a chick magnet.

On the podium since high school: Every day in band rehearsal, I got to conduct. It’s a craft, and I appreciated the fact that I got the chance early on to stand in front of musicians and encourage them to make sound. That led me to understand what leadership is all about.

His conducting philosophy: What I do on the podium is less about instruction and more about invitation. I’m asking musicians to come to a world, a realm, that’s greater than all of us, and when that happens, it’s easier to say, “Please do it this way.”

What classical music means to him: A life in classical music reminds me that I play an important role in nurturing not just artists, but also society. This is not a career — it’s a calling. It’s not about me at all; I’m just a vehicle to get this music out to people and to make their lives better.

We are, as a society, really good at finding ways to divide ourselves and cling to our natural tribal tendencies and prejudices. Yet in the presence of beauty, we are quite simply forced to come to grips with our humility.

A family affair: Everyone in my family is a musician. My wife is a terrific pianist, and my daughter Erica plays the flute, and my daughter Nicole plays the harp, which is cool since they’re twins. This provided a great opportunity for my wife and me to teach them about what it meant to be servants to and with music.

His listening favorites: I love Gustav Mahler, Duke Ellington, Jacob Collier, Pink Martini, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Lyle Lovett. It’s all over the map.

His last program? It would include Mahler’s First Symphony, as it’s my all-time favorite piece of music. There’s something about every single moment of that music that knows me at the core of my being. This is the sum total of the indelible human spirit.