[1] His overarching interest in research centered around the cognitive and perceptual foundation of music, insight for which is found in his 2006 article, "Pitch Frames as Melodic Archetypes", Empirical Musicology Review, 1.2, 1–18.

Then he joined the Navy Band (as jazz trumpet soloist) aboard the USS Lexington (CV-16) as it sailed from San Diego to Pearl Harbor.

[3] While at Camp Elliott, Thomson did freelance arranging for Gus Arnheim, who, in the 1940s, owned a nightclub in downtown San Diego where he kept a small band going.

Thomson was not permitted to enter the club during performances (he was too young); but he listened to the band playing his arrangements over the radio.

In his younger days, Thomson learned to play french horn and trumpet, both in the classical and jazz idioms.

And from that age, Thomson's mother began driving him to Texas Christian University (TCU) on Saturdays for lessons with Don Gillis.

Growing up, Thomson played French horn in Poly Baptist Church "orchestra", directed by Don Gillis.

Thomson became proficient at playing jazz solos on French horn with the Poly High School band.