Thomas Ly is an active freelance performer and music educator based in Austin, Texas. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and Trombone Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi (Spring 2021) and then later earned a Master’s Degree in Trombone Performance from the University of Texas at Austin (Spring 2023)
Thomas has also performed at high demand, including substitute positions for a number of professional groups such as the New World Symphony (Miami, FL), Austin Symphony Orchestra, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra and Opera, and the Meridian Symphony Orchestra. He has also participated in several summer orchestral institutes such as the Aspen Music Festival and School, Berlin Opera Academy, Taneycomo Festival Orchestra, and the Natchez Opera Festival.
Thomas also holds the same passion for teaching. During his graduate work at UT, Thomas served as a Teaching Assistant for the Longhorn Band, Longhorn Pep Band, and the Texas Concert Band. In addition to teaching at all schools in DSISD, he also currently teaches at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, and also previously taught at Kealing Middle School and Clint Small Middle School, both in Austin ISD. Before coming to Texas, Thomas had a studio of private trombone/euphonium students in south Mississippi who not only earned placements in the Mississippi All-State Band, but as well as receiving competitive music scholarships from a variety of universities.
Outside of teaching and performing, Thomas holds a passion for competitive powerlifting. He previously held Mississippi State Records in the Drug-Texas division of the United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) federation for squat, bench, deadlift, and total for the 100kg Junior Men’s Raw category, and is now an active affiliate with the United States of America Powerlifting Association (USAPL) for the state of Texas where he new competes as a 90kg Open Men’s Raw lifter. His other hobbies include traveling, hiking, exploring new coffee shops wherever he visits, and finding new recipes to cook in his kitchen. Thomas is the youngest of five siblings where they all grew up helping their parents operate a family-owned restaurant.
