Death of noted chorus conductor, 49

Dr Steven Thomas, music director of the Arcadia Chorale, in Scranton (Penn.), has died at 49 following treatment for leukaemia.

He was on leave from Wilkes University, where he was Professor of Music and chair of the Division of Performing Arts.

The conductor Larry Loh writes: Really tragically sad news about my friend Steven Thomas – our lives seemed to interweave – we first met as aspen as classmates, then fellow Yalies, then met again in northeastern Pa where we collaborated on big choral concerts with the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic notably on Carmina Burana, Brahms requiem as well as Beethoven 9 (2x). He was a gentle and loving human being with a supreme intellect and attention to detail. I’ll miss him greatly as so many will.