Ulysses Chamber Choir (
Musical Director: Thomas Kehoe
Thomas
Kehoe studied the oboe, piano and theory at the DIT Conservatory of Music and
Drama. He was a member of the Palestrina Choir as a boy chorister, while under
the direction of Íte O'Donovan. He has studied with many of Ireland's top vocal
teachers which include, Dr. Veronica Dunne, Paul Deegan and Collette Mc Gahon.
Thomas graduated with an honours degree in Music from University College Dublin
in 2004 and a Masters in Musicology in 2005. His MMus thesis was entitled The
Harmonic and Melodic Resources of Prokofiev's Visions Fugitives op. 22. An
abridged form of his thesis was accepted, by The Musicology Review for
publication in 2006. Thomas is editor of the Musicology Review’s Issue 3.
While studying at UCD, Thomas was awarded a scholarship for the organ, affording
him the opportunity to study under Professor Gerard Gillen, titular organist in
the Pro Cathedral, Dublin. He has held organ positions in the Dublin area since.
He prepared the UCD Chamber Choir each year for a concert of high baroque music.
Such works included Bach's four Lutheran masses, various cantatas, and in 2005,
they performed Bach's monumental composition, the B minor mass. Since leaving
university, Thomas has focused his attention towards conducting. He has attended
master classes under George Hurst, Robert Houlihan, David Brophy and Colman
Pearce.
Thomas is conductor of Willow Park’s choir and orchestra and plays organ in Blackrock college chapel each Sunday during term. He is a rehearsal pianist for Tallaght Choral Society. Thomas tutors tonal and modal counterpoint at UCD and teaches piano at Our Lady's Grove in Clonskeagh and Blackrock College. He has returned to UCD since leaving to rehearse the chamber choir in UCD for their annual concert. He has been a member of many of the top choirs in Ireland including Clarendon Street Choir, Resurgam and has worked with the National Chamber Choir under Celso Antunes and Brian McKay.
Thomas became Musical Director of the Ulysses Choir in September 2006.
