In addition to his conducting and composition credits, Thomas is a published author, having written Way Over in Beulah Lan': Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual, and numerous journal articles.
He began taking lessons at Wichita State University, and by eighth grade, he won the Federated Music Clubs Piano Competition.
[2] During this time, Thomas participated in his junior high school’s choir and began disliking spiritual and gospel music which he has since become known for composing.
We certainly weren’t allowed to speak like that in my home and it denoted ignorance in my mind...[3]While the discomfort may have continued throughout high school, it did not stop him from being actively involved in music and composition.
Hairston explained how "[the] dialect was not a sign of inferiority but an accommodation for sounds that were not part of African speech".
Instead, he aspired to spend his time conducting and teaching because he did not enjoy the solitary nature of becoming a concert pianist.
[2] Thomas began his professional career at the University of Texas in Austin (1981-1984) while finishing his doctoral degree.
[1] In addition to his collegiate teaching career, Thomas conducts various choral organizations throughout the United States and internationally.
His writing frequently addresses the struggle of becoming a black “classical” composer, as well as the challenge of performing ethnic music (spirituals and gospels) with integrity.