Lorna Thomas

With over 30 years of teaching experience, Lorna has guided her students in activities that engage the mind for creative expression.

In South Africa, she owned a private studio and prepared students for the Trinity College of London music exams, where successful students qualified for admission to the prestigious Cambridge University, U.K.  While teaching at an internationally renowned Cultural Center, she became fascinated with the undocumented Music and Dance of Tswana People. This inspired her graduate research where she focused on notating and composing these unique pieces for piano.  Due to severe political unrest in South Africa, she was not able to complete her Ph.D., but gained invaluable personal and professional experience.  In Johannesburg she taught chorus/private voice at a Christian School preparing students for highly esteemed national and international competitions. 

In the U.S., music has given her the opportunity to teach chorus and music for the Conejo Valley Arts Council and the Conejo Valley School District,  private piano at Pepperdine University, and piano, voice and guitar in her private music studio.  Lorna also enjoys composing music. Many of her students have gone on to have professional music careers.

Education:

Bachelor of Art, Piano Performance and Pedagogy, Lubbock Christian University, Texas (full scholarship)

Master of Music, Piano Performance and Pedagogy, Eastern New Mexico University (competitive graduate assistantship)