Dr. Thomas Rowell

Education

• Bachelor of Music in Music Education
  Union University

• Master of Music in Vocal Performance
  Austin Peay State University

• Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance
  Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Biography

Dr. Thomas L. Rowell, tenor, is the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Music, Coordinator of Vocal Studies, and directs USA Opera Theatre. He teaches studio voice, vocal pedagogy, and opera history and literature. Dr. Rowell maintains a very active performing schedule as a recitalist, soloist and roles with regional opera companies. He has appeared as tenor soloist with Nashville Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, Mobile Symphony, Northwest Florida Symphony, Johnson City Symphony Orchestra, Mobile Pops, Baldwin Pops, University of South Alabama Symphony Band and Wind Ensemble, University of Alabama Orchestra, Bluffton University Orchestra, and Choral Society of Pensacola.

Rowell has performed over forty operatic roles with regional opera companies such as Mobile Opera, Pensacola Opera, Druid City Opera (Tuscaloosa), and First Coast Opera (St. Augustine). His roles include Judge Danforth in The Crucible, Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Don Basilio/Don Curzio in Le Nozze di Figaro, Ruiz in Il Trovatore, Gastone in La Traviata, Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte, Incredible in Andrea Chenier, Der Steuermann in Der Fliegende Holländer, both Pong and Pang in Turandot, Nick in La Fanciulla del West, Ko Ko in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado, Goro in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Schmidt in Massenet’s Werther, the roles of Edmondo, the Dancing Master, and the Lamplighter in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, Beppe in I Pagliacci, Frick/Prosper in Offenbach’s La Vie Parisienne, Mr. Scratch in The Devil and Daniel Webster, the roles of Rinnuccio, Gherardo, Maestro Spinelloccio, and Maestro Amantio di Nicolao in Gianni Schicchi, Father Grenville in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, Tinca in Il Tabarro, Prunier in Puccini’s La Rondine, and he originated the role of John C. Calhoun in George Mabry’s chamber opera An Elegant Obsession. Internationally, Dr. Rowell has performed in both Europe and Asia in operatic roles and as soloist. This past season he performed the role of Borsa in Mobile Opera’s production of Verdi’s Rigoletto, and this season, he will perform the roles of the Witch in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel and in the trio for Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti with Mobile Opera. He will also direct and conduct USA Opera Theatre’s production of Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld in March 2025.

In addition to his teaching and performing, Dr. Rowell has served as choral clinician and conductor of Mobile County Honor Choir, Alabama Independent Schools Association State Honor Choir, Mobile Opera Chorus, and Bella Voce of Mobile, Mobile’s premiere women’s chorus.

Dr. Rowell has been an active member of the of the National Association of Teacher’s of Singing for over 25 years, and currently serves as the President of the Alabama Chapter of NATS. He has also served as Auditions Chair for both the Alabama Chapter and the Southeastern Region of NATS.