Born in Exeter, Thomas Hobbs studied at the Royal College of Music under the tutelage of Neil Mackie, where he was awarded the RCM Peter Pears and Mason scholarships, and at the Royal Academy of Music under Ryland Davies, where he held a Kohn Bach Scholarship in addition to a full entrance scholarship. He was also awarded a Susan Chilcott Scholarship and has been made a Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist. He was named an Associate Artist of the Classical Opera Company from the 2010/11 season.

Thomas has performed and recorded with many leading ensembles including The Cardinall’s Musick, The Tallis Scholars, I Fagiolini, The Sixteen, Polyphony, Ensemble Plus Ultra, Ex-Cathedra and the Dunedin Consort, with whom he has recorded Handel Acis et Galatea and Bach B minor Mass to critical acclaim. He was also a member of the prestigous Académie at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, where he performed in concert with Louis Langrée and the Camerata Salzburg.

Thomas’s operatic roles include the title role in Albert Herring, Acis in Handel Acis and Galatea, Ferrando Così fan tutte, Ramiro Cenerentola, Conte Barber of Seville and Fileno in Haydn La fedelta premiata. A keen recitalist, highlights include Brett Dean Winter Songs at the Cheltenham Festival, Vaughan Williams On Wenlock Edge with the Edinburgh Quartet, Schubert Die Schöne Müllerin and Schumann Liederkreis Op.39, a recital of Mozart songs at London’s Kings Place, and a recital of English song and German lieder for the Festival Accademia delle Crete Senesi in Tuscany.

In demand for his concert work, Thomas’s recent performances include a staged version of Handel Messiah for Opéra National de Bordeaux, Britten Nocturne with Paul McCreesh and the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Handel Messiah with the Hanover Band, Haydn Creation with the Manchester Camerata, Evangelist St John Passion at Cadogan Hall and Lichfield Cathedral, and Monteverdi Vespers at the Three Choirs Festival. Ensembles with whom Thomas works frequently include the Stuttgart Kammerchor and the Bach Akademie Stuttgart, and he is a regular performer with Philippe Herreweghe and his acclaimed ensemble Collegium Vocale Gent, with whom he has toured throughout Europe and the US as a soloist performing key works of the 16th-18th centuries.

During the last season Thomas toured with Collegium Vocale, and performed on tour in Europe with the Bach Akademie Stuttgart and the Freiburg Bachchor. Operatic roles included the Janek Makropolous Case (cover) for English National Opera and a critically acclaimed Telemachus The Return of Ulysses in a new production for ENO conducted by Jonathan Cohen. Thomas performed at London’s Wigmore Hall and Kings Place with the Classical Opera Company and made his debut with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Thomas’s engagements in 2011/12 include his debut with the City of Birmingham Symphony and Royal Scottish National orchestras, Alessandro Il re pastore with the Classical Opera Company, Beethoven Mass in C with the Stuttgart Kammerchor, several tours with Collegium Vocale, notably Bach’s St Matthew Passion for Easter 2012, Schubert Masses in Hamburg and Handel’s Joshua with the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin.

Thomas Hobbs is represented worldwide by Intermusica.

September 2011 / 499 words. Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.

Bach B minor Mass / Concertgebouw Bruges
Cond. Philippe Herreweghe / Collegium Vocale Gent
“Thomas Hobbs very harmoniously completes the quartet with a powerful and charming voice.”
Sèbastien Gauthier, ConcertoNet.com, January 2012

Handel Messiah / Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Glasgow Royal / Cond. Roy Goodman
Each of the soloists offered something of real beauty... The clarity with which tenor Thomas Hobbs produced every single phrase was to be enjoyed throughout... characterised by confidence and professionalism.”
Carla Whalen, The Scotsman, January 2012

Handel Messiah / City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Symphony Hall / Cond. Adrian Lucas
“Thomas Hobbs, demonstrated stylistic awareness and impressive breath control in long phrases (…)”
David Hart, Birmingham Post.net, December 2011

Zelenka Missa dei Filii and Bach Cantatas / Freiburg Barockorchester / Berlin Philharmonie / Cond. Marcus Creed
“Part of the miracle which Thomas Hobbs - first among equals of the excellent soloists - proclaimed in his pure, shimmering tenor voice, was that even the most critical listener was moved by the astonishing annunciation of the immaculate conception.”
Carsten Niemann, Der Tagesspiegel, December 2011

Alessandro in Mozart Il re pastore / Kings Place
Classical Opera Company / cond. Ian Page
“The magnanimous Alexander the Great was sung by a warm-voiced tenor Thomas Hobbs: his bravura arias were dispatched with brilliant control.”
Nahoko Gotoh, Bachtrack, November 2011

“Sprague’s fellow-tenor Thomas Hobbs brought a touch of the buffo to Alessandro and earned some unexpected laughs along the way…”
Mark Valencia, ClassicalSource, November 2011

Bach B minor mass / Collegium Vocale / St John's Smith Square
Cond. Philippe Herreweghe
“...the dramatically convincing and vocally flexible tenor soloist, Thomas Hobbs.”
Esslinger Zeitung, May 2011

“...the lovely interplay of solo flute and Thomas Hobbs’ tenor in the ‘Benedictus’.”
Financial Times, May 2011

Telemachus in Monteverdi Ulysses
ENO / cond. Jonathan Cohen / dir. Benedict Andrews
“(…)this Ulysses...has the sublime consolation of the recognition of his son (superbly performed by Thomas Hobbs)."
The Spectator, April 2011

“Thomas Hobbs’s Telemaco [is] glitteringly sung.”
Michael Church, The Independent, March 2011

Tenor Thomas Hobbs (Telemaco) is blessed with a beautiful Mozartian voice...”
Agnes Kory, Musical Criticism, March 2011

“Other roles are cast from strength, with Thomas Hobbs’s warm full tenor as Telemachus standing out for sheer vocal quality.”
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, March 2011

“The cast combined experienced ENO regulars... with newer talent (notably Thomas Hobbs as Telemaco...) to gripping and traumatic effect.”
Fiona Maddocks, The Observer, March 2011

“It was an evening of fine tenors, with... Thomas Hobbs all poised lyricism as Telemaco, Ulysses son.”
Alexandra Coghlan, New Statesman, March 2011

“...Telemaco (nobly sung by Thomas Hobbs)”
Richard Morrison, The Times, March 2011

“The young tenor Thomas Hobbs made an auspicious ENO debut as Telemachus.”
Melanie Eskenazi, Music OMH, March 2011

“Thomas Hobbs fulfills his golden-toned promise as a recent RAM student as the royal son Telemaco.”
Simon Thomas, What’s On Stage, March 2011

“Thomas Hobbs as his son reveals a fine tenor.”
Sam Smith, The Londonist, March 2011

“...Thomas Hobbs in a touching turn as Ulysses's son, Telemaco... Hobbs deserves particular praise for his part in the second most moving moment of the night: the stunningly quiet reunion with his father Ulysses.”
Igor Toronyi-Lalic, The Arts Desk, March 2011

Tenor Soloist, Unexpected meetings: The Operas of Haydn
Classical Opera Company / Cond. Ian Page
“Hobbs’ voice mingles elements of English choirboy, Italian lover and full-blooded Haydn hero. He opened with a show-stopping ten-minute aria from Acide, ‘La beltà che m’innamora’, finding fresh colours and moods for each repeated stanza... he produced some lovely tone in his middle range”
Amanda Holloway, Opera magazine, March 2011

“‘La beltà che m'innamora’ from Acide (Haydn's first opera) featured the wonderfully secure tenor of Thomas Hobbs - strong of voice yet lyrical and very secure at speed. He excelled again at the other end of the first half in an aria from L'incontro improvviso (‘Indarno m'affanno … Deh! Se in ciel’”), a Turkish-tinged piece which, alas, showed some of the insecurities of using natural horns. His wit was to the fore in the catalogue aria ‘Ho viaggiato in Francia’ (Orlando Paladino), where a ‘patter’ element worked wonderfully.”
Colin Clarke, Music-web International, January 2011

“Tenor Thomas Hobbs had us laughing at ‘Ho viaggiato in Grancia’ from Orlando Paladino, a crazy catalogue song, written six years before Mozart adopted the form for Leporello on Don Giovanni, and one that hilariously lists nations, not conquests, in a manic pretence at well travelled heroism by a hungry squire trying to impress a shepherdess in return for a square meal. Earlier Hobbs had beguiled us with a beautifully sung melody from Philemon und Baucis, an opera Haydn wrote as a sophisticated “voiceover” for the opening of his patron Nicolaus Esterházy’s new marionette theatre.”
Stephen Pritchard, The Observer, January 2011

Recording: Monteverdi Vespro della Beata Vergine (1610)
Choir of New College, Oxford; Charivari Agréable / cond. Edward Higginbottom (Novum NCR1382)
“Thomas Hobbs showed how such music should be sung”
Andrew O’Connor, International Record Review, October 2010

Bach B minor mass
Dunedin Consort
“Thomas Hobbs' Benedictus is gloriously lyrical”
George Pratt, BBC Music Magazine, July 2010

Evangelist in Bach St Matthew Passion
Birmingham Bach Choir / cond. Paul Spicer
“Thomas Hobbs (delivered) this massive role with absolute conviction, in a voice that ranged from soaring sweetness to dark, tear-choked sorrow. He was tremendous, and he, more than anyone, gave this performance its devastating impact.”
Lichfield Mercury, April 2010

“As was Thomas Hobbs’ tremendous performance as the Evangelist, sung with a radiant tone and astonishing range of vocal characterisation.”
Richard Bratby, The Birmingham Post, April 2010

"Thomas Hobbs, as the Evangelist (delivered) this massive role with absolute conviction, in a voice that ranged from soaring sweetness to dark, tear-choked sorrow. He was tremendous, and he, more than anyone, gave this performance its devastating impact."
This is Tamworth.co.uk, April 2010

Albert in Britten Albert Herring
Royal Academy Opera / cond. Nicholas Kok / dir. John Copley
“As the gormless Albert, Thomas Hobbs admirably conveys the awkward demeanour of an apron-tied lad with a lot to learn.”
Geoff Brown, The Times, March 2010

“From amongst the strong cast, Thomas Hobbs in the title role stands out. His stunning tenor voice is consistently ethereal, although never so heavenly as to stop us from believing that this really is just a small town lad. He also proves a fine actor as his face carries a look of total bewilderment during the May Day festivities, which reminds us that it requires just as much skill to produce comic expressions as serious ones.”
Sam Smith, What’s On Stage, March 2010

“Hobbs has a powerful but pure tenor voice, which he used with musicality and technical assurance…what will stay with me longer is the masterly and wholly credible pathos with which he sang about his fear (of adulthood) in the second act.”
Agnes Kory, Musical Criticism, March 2010

“Thomas Hobbs made a memorable large, ungainly Albert, sung as well as any of his prestigious predecessors in the role, his body language and facial expressions alive to every moment of his humiliation and resurrection with new found determination to be his own man.”
Peter Graham Woolf, Musical Pointers, March 2010

Haydn The Creation
Manchester Camerata / Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus / cond. Paul Borough
“Tenor Thomas Hobbs was highly impressive as Uriel with crystal clear diction. The recitative of the creation of day and night, the seasons, years and days was marvellously unfurled and his arias were sung with lyrical warmth.”
Bernard Lee, Sheffield Telegraph, December 2009

Count Alberto in Rossini L’occasione fail ladro
Royal Academy Opera / cond. Dominique Wheeler / dir. Daniele Guerra
“As the unfortunate Alberto, Thomas Hobbs provided some of the most enjoyable and accomplished singing of the evening.”
Stuart Jenkins, Musical Pointers, May 2009

“...The Academy cast was packed with promise...Thomas Hobbs, the Alberto… a Rossini tenor ready to sacrifice seductiveness of timbre to virtuoso accuracy (as Chris Merritt and Rockwell Blake were, as Juan Diego Florez is). His early divisions were accurate…when the aria arrived, the old ideal of 'honeyed elegance' began to inform his performance, and he was winning...”
Andrew Porter, Opera Magazine, July 2009

Damon in Handel Acis and Galatea
Cond. Nicholas McGegan / North German Radio Chorus & Göttingen Festival Orchestra
(CARUS 83.420)
"Thomas Hobbs has a bright appealing voice, with considerable agility."
Barry Brenesal, Fanfare Magazine, January 2009

Haydn La Tedelta Premiata
Cond. Trevor Pinnock / Royal Academy Opera
“These conservatoire productions… offer the public a chance to see rare repertoire and spot rising stars, who always work alongside experienced professionals. Trevor Pinnock conducted a bristling performance of La fedelta premiata… Thomas Hobbs and the rest of this excellent cast are names to watch.”
The Observer, March 2009

“The cast I saw (as usual with students productions, one of two companies), fielded some fine voices. Tenor Thomas Hobbs… stood out… making us feel the future of opera is safe.”
whatsonstage.com, March 2009

Handel Acis and Galatea
Dunedin Consort
“The excellent instrumental playing is wonderfully engaging, and particularly enjoyable performance (of)… the very impressive interpretations of young tenor Thonas Hobbs as Damon.”
Sunday Herald, February 2009

“Thomas Hobbs is a bright Damon.”
Classic FM Magazine, February 2009

“Thomas Hobbs in the rols of Damon, Acis’ companion, is smooth-voiced and neat, with forthright delivery…”
International Record Review, February 2009

“…and the impressive young tenor Thomas Hobbs…”
The Scotsman, February 2009

Vaughan Williams On Wenlock Edge
Edinburgh Quartet
“…but does finding the right performers seem worth the effort? With Thomas Hobbs as tenor soloist and Nicholas Ashton as pianist, the answer this week was yes… But Thomas Hobbs’s voice was incisive enough to cut through the clutter of what was essentially a piano quintet, and he handled the emotion of the climactic song - the mounting sadness of Bredon Hill - with real intensity.”
The Herald, April 2008

Bach St. Mark Passion
Whitehall Choir
“It was, however, the powerful voice of the evangelist, Thomas Hobbs, that really made the performance special. He led us through the trails and tribulations with a brilliantly unassuming authority lightly dappling each phrase with the most delicate vibrato. Still only 23, he is a major to look out for.”
The Telegraph, March 2007

Bach St. John Passion
Henley Choral Society
“Of the soloists, Thomas Hobbs gave an outstanding performance in the crucial role of the Evangelist, singing the gospel narrative throughout with a clear unforced voice in excellent German, and bringing out Bach’s word-painting to good musical effect.”
Henley Standard, April 2007

Monteverdi Vespers
Three Choirs Festival
“He [Nicholas Mulroy] also combined most effectively with fellow tenor Thomas Hobbs in a marvellously fluent and plangent rendition of ‘Duo Seraphim’… Thomas Hobbs… sang the demanding ‘Nigra Sum’ very well indeed and later on the work he also contributed some crucial and most effective offstage echoes.”
Music Web International, August 2007

Monteverdi Vespers
Ex Cathedra, Birminham Town Hall
“All deserved credit for their contributions, but none more so than the echoing, virtuosic pair of tenors, Benjamin Hulett and Thomas Hobbs…”
Birmingham Post, June 2007