Georg Thoma

Georg Thoma is a pianist, music theorist, piano improviser and piano teacher. He has been working as a full-time lecturer in music theory at the University of Music and Theatre Munich since 2024. In addition, he has been a research assistant at the University of Music Freiburg since 2023 and a lecturer in piano improvisation at the University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart since 2024. Previously, he taught music theory as a lecturer at the HMTM from 2018 to 2024, music theory, piano practice and practical piano playing in schools as a lecturer at the Mozarteum University Salzburg from 2021 to 2023, and piano at the Pullach Music School from 2018 to 2023.

From early childhood, Georg Thoma received lessons in violin, piano and organ. After graduating from the Ludwigsgymnasium humanities school in Munich, he studied instrumental pedagogy piano (B.A./M.A.) in Salzburg, music theory/ear training (B.A./M.Mus.) in Salzburg and Munich, and artistic piano improvisation (M.Mus.) in Stuttgart. He is currently pursuing a doctorate on improvisation practice in the 19th century with a focus on Clara Wieck-Schumann.

Georg Thoma’s artistic focus is on piano improvisation in a wide range of styles, from Baroque, Classical and Romantic to jazz and contemporary music. In addition to improvisation practice in the 19th century and methods of reduction analysis (compositional models, schemata, Schenkerian analysis), his research focuses on extended tonality in the 20th century (tone fields, axes, modes) as well as pianistic touch and timing aspects in piano playing.