Ronald Thomas AM

Violinist, Conductor

Born in the wheatbelt of Western Australia, his father gave him violin lessons at the age of 4. At 18 he left to study in London and later in Switzerland with Max Rostal and won the Carl Flesch International Violin Competition at 21.

Following a recital at Wigmore Hall in London, he was offered concerto engagements with the Royal Philharmonic, Birmingham and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras. He began broadcasting for the BBC and was a concerto soloist at the first night of the BBC Promenade Concert.

In 1976 he became concertmaster, then Musical Director of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta where for ten years he gave 950 concerts, (250 of which he conducted), solo concerts, broadcasts and recordings.

In the 1980s he was invited by Sir George Solti to be guest concertmaster for an Anniversary Series of Concerts by the London Philharmonic Orchestra appearing at the Edinburgh Festival and the Royal Festival Hall in London.

He moved to Australia in 1987 to become the Artistic Director of the Australian Opera and the Ballet Orchestra. He formed the Soloists of Australia that appeared at the Perth Festival. At this time he was a guest lecturer at the Sydney Conservatorium and the leader of the Sydney String Quartet where he remained for a number of years.

Now living in Perth, Ronald Thomas continues to perform and teach.

In 2023 - Ronald has returned to MetSO to conduct our new MetSO-by-Day initiative, the
MetSO Chamber Orchestra (MCO)

MetSO Chamber Orchestra >