Mackie Thomas, D.M.A.

About Mackie

Mackie Thomas is a Kansas City-based bassoonist and educator. A recent Doctor of Musical Arts graduate of the University of Kansas, Thomas is excited to jump into her post-grad career in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Thomas also earned her Master of Music at the University of Kansas, and she earned her Bachelor of Music Education at the University of Oklahoma. Her primary bassoon teachers include Eric Stomberg, Leigh Muñoz, and Rod Ackmann. An active educator, Thomas has most recently spent her time as Interim Instructor of Bassoon at the University of Kansas and as a Bassoon Teaching Fellow at the Interlochen Arts Camp. At the secondary level, Thomas has held private bassoon students, worked as the bassoon instructor at KU’s Midwest Music Camp and Prairie Winds Festival, and was the Assistant Director of Bands for Muldrow Public Schools in Muldrow, Oklahoma. Thomas is an active performer, and she has joined the Springfield Symphony, Fort Hays Symphony, and Des Moines Metro Opera as a bassoonist.

The core objective of my teaching philosophy is teaching my students to become self-sufficient and able to act as their own teachers by the time they leave their formal educational studies. Through this, I am empowering them to feel confident in their ability to solve unexpected problems and reflect on their experiences to become a stronger musician. While these ideas are prominent in bassoon lessons and in the practice room, these are also professional skills young adults will carry throughout their career, whether it is music related or not.