Carei Thomas

Carei F. Thomas has been associated for a number of years with the literary, visual arts, dance music, recovery, neighborhood, and Buddhist communities of the Twin Cities. He is known throughout the arts community for his spiritual energy, interdisciplinary vision, and creative music. Carleton Macy, Music Chair at Macalester College, said, "Thomas' compositions are unusual and multi-faceted; they encompass and historic range of musical styles, expression social and personal experiences and observations. Carei brings with him an infectious sense of community and unity of purpose which is likewise communicated in this music." Thomas is a 1993 Bush Fellowship recipient for composition, a 1998 LIN recipient for a Leadership in Neighborhood Initiatives grant from the St. Paul Companies, and a 1999 McKnight Foundation fellowship recipient for music composition, which had a community component. For this, Carei planned a joint venture between Minneapolis school's "We Win Institute" students and The Cultural Center of Minnesota, consisting of workshops led by various community artist and a culmination performance. In 2000, Carei received a Minnesota State Arts Board Career Opportunities grant and presented a concert at the Weisman Art Museum, University of Minnesota, entitled "With Respect To...Musical Reflections and Comments on the Works of Wassily Kandinsky." In 2001, Carei composed and presented the piece "Brilliant Field(s)/Sound Tempo(s)" at the Landmark Center and co-produced a Poetry Music Collaborative festival at the Phalen Poetry Park in St. Paul. In 2002, Carei composed and presented the concert, "Seen, Too," at the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis. Also, in 2002, Carei received a McKnight Interdisciplinary Artist Fellowship, and in 2003, an MRAC Community Arts grant to produce a Sound Window(s) at Southern Theater. Carei continues to seek venues of varying size and design to explore experimental musical performances which he calls "Unusual Designs, Atypical Settings." Being enamored with the end results of well-developed cross-designing of genre and ensemble fabric, his compositional concepts reflect this and lend themselves to musical involvement on all levels (i.e., students, amateurs, as well as audience participation.) Carei believes it is necessary for performer/educators who perform an present workshops to build up the avenues of familiarization and allow for an historic connection. He is also continuing to develop his poemmetric/spoken word, electronic soundscape designs, and graphic compositions. Thomas has a special interest in the healing aspects of sound and color and is developing a "jazz" form, easily accessed by all levels of humanity. Carei has worked in the public school system. Utilizing art as a tool to enhance educational curriculum. He has also worked successfully with special-abled and physically-challenged populations. Having developed viable tools for enhancing cooperation and communication skills, he works well with teachers and students alike. Carei Thomas is a member of the American Composers Forum and is on the Boards of; the West Bank School of Music in Minneapolis and the High School For Recording Arts in St. Paul.

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