Our Leader
Dr. Tom Bolton
A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Dr. Bolton earned a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from Ouachita Baptist University and a Master of Music and Doctor of Philosophy in musicology from the University of North Texas.
His long professional career includes college and seminary teaching, church ministry, and professional solo performances in operatic roles and guest appearances with symphony orchestras.
He was professor of music at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas from 1973 to 1989. While teaching at Ouachita his Chamber Singers were selected by audition to represent the state of Arkansas at the Bicentennial in 1976. In 1979 they were one of eight US choirs selected to tour Europe and sing with a Bach Festival Chorus accompanied by the renowned English Chamber Orchestra. In 1988 he spent several months abroad in Italy while on sabbatical, studying at, and performing with the Sessione Senese per la Musica e l’Arte.
From 1989 to 1996 he served as fulltime minister of music at Little Rock’s First Baptist Church, directing eight performances of The Living Christmas Tree each year.
In 1996 his educational and ministerial roles were combined when he accepted the position of Professor of Church Music at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. In 2000 he was named Dean of the School of Church Music and Worship, retiring in 2012 and moving to Hot Springs, Arkansas to be near family.
In retirement he has taught voice as well as music and worship classes at Ouachita Baptist University and Champion Christian College. He has served as Minister of Music at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church since 2015 and has been the musical director of The Village Chorale in Hot Springs Village since 2018.
His career as choral director began in 1969 and continues today. He has directed choirs of all ages, including children’s choirs, youth choirs, adult church choirs, university choirs, seminary choirs, and now an auditioned community choir. Having been a voice teacher for half a century, his approach to choral directing stresses well-produced, unified vocal production combined with careful attention to musical nuances, resulting in a choral art that communicates not only to the ears of an audience, but to their collective hearts and minds.