THOMAS, THEODORE, a German American musician; born in Esens, Han over, Germany, Oct. 11, 1835. He first played in public at the age of six. In 1845 his family removed to the United States and for two years he played violin solos at concerts in New York. He then traveled for a time in the South, and re turning to New York in 1851, he played at concerts and at the opera; at first as one of the principal violinists, and after ward an orchestral leader, till 1861. In connection with others he began a series of chamber concerts in 1855, which were continued till 1869. His first symphony concerts were given in 1864-1865, and extended (excepting from 1869 to 1872) till he left New York, in 1878, to take the direction of the College of Music at Cincinnati. He remained in Cincinnati till 1880, when he resigned this position and returned to New York. With brief intervals he was conductor of the Brook lyn Philharmonic Society from 1862-1891, and of the New York Philharmonic Socie ty from 1877-1891. From 1866 to 1878
he gave a series of summer concerts nightly in various cities; and in 1869 he made his first concert tour in the Eastern and Western States, which he repeated from time to time afterward. He con ducted five music festivals in Cincinnati (1873, 1875, 1878, 1880, and 1882), one in Chicago (1882), and one in New York (1882). In the winter of 1885-1886 he organized a series of popular concerts in New York, and in the same season he be came the conductor of the newly-estab lished American Opera, holding that po sition for two years. In 1891 established his orchestra permanently at the Audito rium in Chicago. In 1893 he was musical director at the World's Fair, till Aug. 10, when he resigned. He died in Chicago, Ill., Jan. 4, 1905.