Thomas Workman, married more than 30 years to Rosana Workman, the father of two daughters, Naima and Ilana, is a multi-instrumentalist, certified sound healer, instrument builder, visual artist, teacher and founder of Ancient2Future Sound Healing. He brings together unique musical instruments, compositional and improvisational skills, shamanic practices, and practical knowledge of the healing power of music. 

 

Born on a farm in Ohio in 1950 to a musical family, Thomas has led a life of music, art-making, teaching and healing. With musical beginnings in church and playing in school bands (he is the 4th tuba player in his immediate family!), he sang in various vocal organizations through college years at Harvard, including four years as a featured soloist with a 12 man a cappella singing group, The Krokodiloes, the Harvard Glee Club and the Harvard-Radcliffe Choral Society. 

 

For some years music became avocational, while teaching, primarily in early childhood educational settings, and developing as a visual artist took the forefront. During this period, Thomas earned a master’s degree in art education and began exhibiting his unique wire sculptures in Boston and New York City. After moving to the Mid-Hudson Valley in 1988, his work was exhibited primarily at the Donskoj and Co gallery in Kingston.

 

In 1993 music came back to the foreground when Thomas began performing with Arm-of-the-Sea Theater. As musical director of this amazing mask and puppetry company, he was the “voice” of the characters, but also created sound effects for their actions. learned to expand his sound palette with unique instruments and sound making devices, sometimes creating them.

This work opened the door to playing in a variety of ensembles with many talented musicians, and to beginning my work as artist in residence in schools. 

 

As artist in residence for many years in school settings, Thomas presented assembly programs featuring musical instruments from all around the world. He also helped countless children construct their own instruments. This was primarily in the Hudson Valley in New York, but extended from Virginia to Montana to Oregon as well. This work invited children to be aware of other cultures through their wonderful and amazing instruments, and the richness that diversity offers us. 

 

Thomas builds a variety of instruments, including didgeridoos, bone flutes, Kamale ngoni, a  West African ten string harp, and a variety of drums and “little instruments”. His instruments are in the collections of many grateful musicians.

 

In 2010 Thomas completed the certification course for Sound Healing at the Sound & Music Institute at The Open Center in NYC. This was a great experience to learn with many of the leaders in the field, and to realize how wide ranging were the applications of music and sound as healing modalities. It was during this course of study that Thomas realized that his deep attraction to ancient and nature based instruments was an unconscious exercise in self-healing.

Such instruments include didgeridoo, conch shells, fujara, bamboo flutes, bone flutes, nose flutes, various drums and percussion, tuba and many more. Thomas conducts sound healing sessions for individuals and groups. In 2012, he founded Ancient2Future Sound Healing.

 

Thomas performs with the quartet, “Levanta”, with Gabriel Dresdale on cello, Raphael Garritano on guitars and Ev Mann on percussion. Levanta’s repertoire includes original compositions as well as a focus on the music of Hermeto Pascoal, the brilliant Brazilian multi-instrumentalist. Thomas also plays with Toque Natural, a trio led by Maria Esther Pallares, great Brazilian player/composer. He plays “SoundBaths” with Steve Gorn, Peter Blum and Naaz Hosseini. Thomas also loves to play to accompany yoga classes.

 

www.thomasworkman.com
@Thomasworkman