THOMAS BLUMIRE
 Thomas Blumire is currently a student at Treloar College and Alton College, Hampshire where he is studying A level music and photography.
He has always had a love of music and began playing the harp when he was 6 years old, but his disability, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, meant he could no longer continue playing as in time he could no longer hold his hands up to play the strings. He then tried playing a keyboard but found the sideways movement impossible too. Friends suggested composing and the children’s hospice he uses (CHASE) funded a computer programme called Sibelius which allows Thomas to compose music via his special mouse and keyboard. This has made an enormous difference to his life and he spends many an hour on his computer working on new ideas or arranging his favourite music. Thomas has had several of his compositions performed by a group from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and by the West End production of The Rat Pack, who played one of his pieces at a celebrity Ball.
Thomas has always enjoyed singing and singing has even improved his lung capacity by 20%. Thomas made a significant contribution to the productions at his school, including taking the lead as Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. He sings at his local church in the choir or leading the singing at smaller services and he enjoys joining in with his college choir. He prepared for the Music of Life performances of The Messiah at St John’s Smith Square and at the Birmingham Conservatoire, sang The Stanford motets and Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Armonico Consort. More recently Thomas has performed Summertime and Sorasto’s aria from The Magic Flute at The Mansion house for a concert in support of Treloar’s. Thomas has been enjoying singing with Guildford Choral Society in many of their concerts since 2010, supported by Music of Life both in accessible transport each week & singing lessons to support the concert preparation.
In the Autumn 2010 Thomas was delighted to be selected to join with two other Music of Life participants, in a masterclass with James Macmillan and members of the Britten Sinfonia. To hear the two pieces he had prepared for the masterclass, played professionally & have the advice from James Macmillan & the orchestra players was a fantastic experience.
In 2011 Thomas was asked by Music of Life to produce a new composition for one of the Foundation's concerts. His work for strings "The Barn Owl" inspired by birdwatching, another passion of Thomas, made a highlight of the concert in Harvey Hall, Winchester, in October 2011, and was highly commented by professional musicians in the orchestra and members of the audience who showed their appreciation by giving Thomas a standing ovation.
Thomas's most recent piece, Aaronic Blessing, was performed for the first time at Music of Life concert with Vasari Singers and Katherine Manley at the Temple Church in London on the 30th May 2012, to great acclaim. The event was previewed by a well-known writer and music critic Rupert Christiansen in an article in The Daily Telegraph.
Please click here to read the article
Thomas lives life to the full: as well as all aspects of music he enjoys birdwatching, photography, camping trips and wheelchair hockey to name but a few. He has a positive outlook on life despite all his physical limitations and loves to share his enthusiasm with all around him. |
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