Thomas Johnston (b. 2004) is an Australian-born multi-instrumentalist and composer. Thomas composes all kinds of works of varying styles and genres for different chamber ensembles, jazz bands, wind ensembles, and orchestral ensembles. He currently is studying music composition and jazz studies at Bowling Green State University. His teachers include Dr. Christopher Dietz, Ariel Kasler, and Aidan Plank.
As a composer, I strive to create music that resonates deeply—emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. My work is an ongoing exploration of sound as a vehicle for storytelling, reflection, and transformation. Whether writing for chamber ensemble, orchestra, or electronic media, I am guided by a desire to communicate something human through music.
I am inspired by both the structured precision of classical forms and the expressive immediacy of improvisation, often drawing from diverse musical languages—jazz, folk, minimalism, and aleatory. I believe in the power of contrast: clarity and chaos, simplicity and density, tradition and invention. Each composition becomes a space where these elements can converse and coalesce.
I see the act of composing not only as self-expression, but as a means of listening—listening to the world, to others, and to the evolving shape of sound itself. My goal is not just to craft music, but to invite listeners into a space where they can experience something authentic, something that lingers after the final note.