Jennifer Thomas

Jennifer Thomas (born 1977) is an American pianist, violinist, composer, performing artist, and recording artist. She was classically trained starting at the age of 5 and began composing in 2003, later releasing her debut album in 2007.

Thomas has issued nine albums, Oceans, was released in June 2024 and debuted at number 3 in the Billboard Classical Crossover music charts. Her 2018 album The Fire Within also debuted at number 3 in the Billboard Classical music charts, number 2 in their Classical Crossover music charts, and number 25 in the Top Heatseekers. Thomas released her new cinematic orchestral album titled Game of Shadows on August 7, 2026 inspired by the spy, heist, and crime thriller movie genre.

Several of her original compositions and arrangements have been used in routines by International Skating Union Ice skaters at the 2022 Winter Olympics and by 2020 Summer Olympics gymnasts.

Thomas's YouTube video recordings have achieved a total of 20 million views, with over 5 million viewing a live concert performance of her arrangement of "Carol of the Bells" from her 2015 Christmas album, Winter Symphony. This performance was in December 2015 at Benaroya Hall in Seattle, with the Ensign Symphony & Chorus.

Early life Thomas grew up near Seattle, Washington. She got her first toy piano at the age of 3 and began formal lessons on both the piano and violin at the age of 5, under the tutelage of her mother, Carolyn Southworth. She eventually moved to the Pacific Northwest, where she performed as a violinist with the Oregon Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and worked for the Seattle Symphony in the Education Department. It was during her time working for the Seattle Symphony when she started composing her own original music.

Career Thomas is known for writing and performing piano-centered orchestral music from classical music to crossover music and cinematic orchestral epic music. While most of her works are original, she also covers classical pieces as well as pop music and movie soundtracks. Thomas has also composed film scores. She won the Gold Medal of Excellence in the 2011 Park City Film Music Festival for "Music in a Short Film" as well as a 2012 Hollywood Music in Media Award for "Best Film Score for Documentary/Short".

Thomas' third album, Illumination, won "Album of the Year" and "Artist of the Year" at the 2013 IMC Awards. In October 2015, Illumination also won the "Classical Song of the Year" International Music and Entertainment Association Award, and the Enlightened Piano Radio Award for "Best piano album with instrumentation" at Carnegie Hall New York City – where she performed live at the awards ceremony.

Winter Symphony, Thomas' fourth album was released in November 2015. Mixed by five time Grammy Award winner Brian Vibberts, contributors included Glen Gabriel, Ricky Kej and Taylor Davis (violinist). Following the album release, Thomas performed concerts at Salt Lake City, Atascocita, Texas and the Benaroya Hall Seattle. The album has received many favorable reviews and during 2016 won several prestigious awards.

In March 2017, Thomas arranged an orchestral cover of the Beauty and the Beast (Disney song) featuring cellist Armen Ksajikian to coincide with the release of the Walt Disney Pictures and Mandeville Films movie Beauty and the Beast (2017 film). During July 2017, Thomas collaborated with poet J.ournal to produce a double award-winning track and video Nine Twelve, a powerful 9/11 reminder message, October 2017 saw a 10-year special re-mastered edition of her 2007 album Key of Sea.

On 12 October 2018, Thomas widely released a Billboard charting classical/cinematic music styled album titled The Fire Within which she previewed live in concert at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. During the winter of 2018, a composition by Thomas, A Beautiful Storm, was used in ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating gold medal programmes by Rika Kihira from Japan. Following this a partnership was established with Avex Entertainment to promote her album Key of Sea in Japan

Commencing June 19, 2019, Thomas embarked on a well-received summer concert tour of the western United States. During 2019, more ice skating recognition of her music continued when her composition "Illumination" was performed to in a free skate program by American Alysa Liu to win the ISU Junior Grand Prix in the United States. Liu retained the title in 2020 skating to the same composition. 2020 also saw Cha Jun-hwan win the South Korean figure skating championships performing to the Thomas and Kimberly StarKey composition The Fire Within.

In March 2021, Thomas's music was performed in the 2021 World Figure Skating Championships by Rika Kihira, Cha Jun-hwan and Alexandra Feigin and in April by Rika Kihira for the ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating.

The 2020 Summer Olympics, held in Tokyo, Japan July 2021, saw her original composition Winter Symphony performed by Russian Olympic Committee gold medallist gymnast Vladislava Urazova and her arrangement of Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy used in a routine by 21st placed finalist gymnast Lee Yun-seo from South Korea. At the 2022 Winter Olympics held in Beijing China, Karen Chen representing Team USA (who won a silver medal) skated to a Jennifer Thomas, Escala (group) and Hugo Choinard mix of "Requiem for a Tower" and "Requiem for a Dream", composed by Clint Mansell.

In December 2023, Thomas released her 7th album 'Classical Reimagined Vo1 1' featuring her own piano arrangements of classical works. After four years working on the special project on 7 June 2024, she released a new award-winning album 'Oceans' and appeared on the cover of Crossover Music Magazine Vol.35. In 2025 the album won 3 categories in the Inter Continental Music Awards.

Thomas's 'Rise of the Phoenix' was performed at the 2026 Winter Olympics by Utana Yoshida and Masaya Morita, which led to Japan winning a silver medal in the figure skating team event.

In July 2026 Thomas released a new instrumental 'Exit Strategy' a track her album 'Game of Shadows' recorded at Abbey Road Studios, which was nominated for the Hollywood Independent Music Awards

Personal life Thomas is married to Will Thomas, an ultra-marathon competitor who, in 2015, competed in the 106-mile race Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in France. Together, they have three children and reside in the Washington area.

Discography Albums All Music

Thomas also features on the following albums;

Discogs

Awards and nominations Year Category Work Result Ref 2026 Hollywood Independent Music Awards Exit Strategy Nomination 2025 InterContinental Music AwardsClassical Crossover - 'Oceans' album and production, also for' You Carried Me Home'Winners 2024 Cannes Independent ShortsBest Music Video Winner 2024 Hollywood Independent Music Awards Underwater Carnival Ride from the album Oceans Won 2023 Prague International Sound Video Awards Etude for the Dreamer Won 2022 Hollywood Music in Media Awards The Adventurer - Epic/Orchestral Nominated 2020 Classical Song of the Year International Music and Entertainment Awards The Fire Within Won 2020 Music Video of the Year International Music and Entertainment Awards The Fire Within Nominated 2019 Best Music Video Silicon Beach Film Festival The Fire Within Won 2019 Contemporary Classical/Instrumental Hollywood Music in Media Awards Glorious Nominatated 2019 Best Classical/Opera/A Cappella Peace Song Awards Glorious Nominatated 2019 Best Music Video Peace Song Awards The Fire Within Nominatated 2018 Classical Artist of the Year – IMEA Awards Key of Sea (10 Year Special Edition) Nominated 2018 Classical Album of the Year – IMEA Awards Key of Sea (10 Year Special Edition) Nominated 2017 Best Message Song/Social Impact – Music Genre Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nine Twelve (with J.ournal) Won 2017 Best Independent Music Video – Music In Visual Media Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nine Twelve (with J.ournal) Nominated 2017 Best Original Score – Short Film – Music In Visual Media Hollywood Music in Media Awards Desert Rose Nominated 2016 Holiday Album of the Year – International Music and Entertainment Assoc Awards Winter Symphony Won 2016 Classical Artist of the Year – International Music and Entertainment Assoc Awards Winter Symphony Nominated 2016 Classical Song of the Year – International Music and Entertainment Assoc Awards Winter Symphony Won 2016 Best Cinematography in a Music Video – Utah Music Awards Carol of the Bells (cinematographer Tel Stewart) Won 2016 Best Original Instrumental Song – Utah Music Awards Winter Symphony (Jennifer Thomas album) Nominated 2016 Best LIVE Classical Performance (Live at Benaroya Hall) – Indie Music Channel Awards 2016 Winter Symphony Won 2016 Music Video of the Year Award (Alleluia) – Indie Music Channel Awards 2016 Winter Symphony Won 2016 Best Classical Music Video (Over $5,000) – Alleluia – Indie Music Channel Awards 2016 Winter Symphony Won 2016 Best Female Classical Artist – Indie Music Channel Awards 2016 Winter Symphony Nominated 2016 Best Classical Song – Indie Music Channel Awards 2016 Winter Symphony Nominated 2016 Global Music Awards 2016 Winter Symphony Silver Medal 2016 Album of the Year – Top 20 of 2015 Music Critic Michael Debbage Winter Symphony Won 2015 Classical Song of the Year – International Music and Entertainment Awards Illumination Won 2015 Best Orchestral Piano Album – Enlightened Piano Radio Awards Illumination Won 2013 Album of the Year – Indie Music Channel Awards Illumination Won 2013 Best Soundtrack Artist – Indie Music Channel Awards Illumination Won 2013 Best Classical Artist – Indie Music Channel Awards Illumination Won 2013 Best Neo-Classical Album – Zone Music Reporter Awards Illumination Nominated 2012 Top Female Artist of the Year – Classical Crossover UK Illumination Won 2012 The Indie Award – Classical Crossover UK Illumination Won 2012 Best Original Score – Hollywood Music in Media Awards Minuet Won 2012 Best Contemporary/Orchestral Song – Hollywood Music in Media Awards Illumination Nominated 2012 Piano Heaven UK Illumination Won 2012 Best Classical Song – Hollywood Music in Media Awards Moonlight Nominated 2011 Best Classical Song – Hollywood Music in Media Awards Toccata and Fugue (Illumination) Nominated 2011 Gold Medal of Excellence – Park City Film Music Festival Minuet Won 2008 Swan Lake Music and Motion Picture Awards – Audience Vote Award Fly Away Won 2007 Swan Lake Music and Motion Picture Awards – Digital Film Release Won

Film and Televised ice skating and gymnastics events coverage 2026 Team Japan 2026 Winter Olympics - Rise of the Phoenix, performed by Utana Yoshida and Masaya Morita. 2022 Team USA Figure skating at the 2022 Winter Olympics - 'Requiem for a Tower' and 'Requiem for a Dream', mix, performed by Karen Chen. 2021 2020 Summer Olympics Gymnastics - Two works performed, Winter Symphony performed by Vladislava Urazova and her arrangement of Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy by Lee Yun-seo 2021 ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating 'The Fire Within' performed by Rika Kihira. 2021 2021 World Figure Skating Championships - Two works performed, 'The Fire Within' by Rika Kihira and Cha Jun-hwan, 'Moonlight' by Alexandra Feigin. 2020 South Korean Figure Skating Championships Senior gold medal won by Cha Jun-hwan to the program of an original Thomas composition The Fire Within (Jennifer Thomas album). 2020 US Figure Skating Championships gold medal won by Alysa Liu to the program of New World Symphony from the album Illumination composed by Thomas 2019 2019 ISU Jr Grand Prix Final figure skating gold medal won by Alysa Liu to the program of New World Symphony from the album Illumination composed by Thomas 2018 2018 NHK Trophy Grand Prix figure skating gold medal won by Rika Kihira to the program of A Beautiful Storm composed by Thomas 2017 Film Score "Desert Rose" 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Hannah Miller, Short program 2014 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Zagreb, Karen Chen 2013 International Skating Union, Angela Wang JGP Baltic Cup Junior Ladies Short program 2013 "Running the Edge", directed by Matt Trappe, song placements 2011 Film score "Minuet", directed and written by Ryan K. McNeal, score by Jennifer Thomas 2012 National Basketball Association Sports placements 2012 NBC Universal Sports placements 2014 MGM Equal Justice (TV series) placements 2008 "Reasons", Poor Boyz Productions