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The American tenor, Thomas Goleeke, graduated in 1954 from the Ballard High School, where he had played violin in the orchestra, sang in the choir, and performed many vocal solos at the school and in the community. Like his two brothers, he attended the University of Washington, finishing his BA and MA degrees in music before going in the army. After the army, he did his doctorate at Stanford University. He continued his training in Vienna, London, and Baden, Austria.
Thomas Goleeke’s teaching and performing careers started in 1964 and lasted for 39 years. For 34 four years he was head of the Voice area (Director of Voice and Opera) at the University of Puget Sound School of Music in Tacoma, Washington, where he initiated the opera program and the University Chorale (consequently he conducted the university chorale and directed the open theater), both of which are still going strong. He also designed and taught a sequence of diction and pedagogy courses, with the IPA as a key component. He continued to teach part-time for five more years.
As a tenor, Thomas Goleeke performed in many recitals and oratorio performances in the Northwest, and sang in the Carmel Bach Festival for 21 seasons. He also appeared with the Seattle Bach Choir and as guest soloist with the Oregon, Spokane and Tacoma symphonies, the Northwest Chamber Orchestra and the Portland Symphonic Choir.
In addition, Thomas Goleeke has conducted research on ornamentation in the vocal works of George Frideric Handel, publishing two articles in the NATS Journal and two articles in the Göttinger Händel Beiträge. He is also the author of both volumes of Literature for Voice, published by Scarecrow Press, and is editor of a collection of 15 songs by Thomas Arne, published by Leyerle Publications. Now retired, he stays involved by playing violin in a community orchestra and continuing his research into G.F. Handel, with occasional writing projects along the way. |
