Music for happy holidays with a dozen stellar musicians: Brian Calhoon, Chan Varon Collins, Ken Field, Sue Goldberg, Billy Hough, Beau Jackett, Mark Meehan, Denise Page, Fermín Rojas, Austin Smith, Hilarie Tamar and John Thomas… a potpourri of upbeat, perky, humorous and inspirational music without borders, perfect for the holiday season!

The season finale to the Great Music on Sundays @5 concert series that celebrated its 26th year in 2024. This Broadway extravaganza features the biggest finales to the biggest shows. The spectacular performances fill an hour in a unique performance space with a wildly appreciative audience. Everyone take a bow!

Every Friday after Labor Day since 1994 at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House of Provincetown, everyone is invited to a free concert filled with heart, humor, joy and love as singers and audience celebrate life together. From the raising of the prayer flags to the annual finale rousing song, it’s a unique tradition.

Alex Sesenton, who received a Fulbright grant for music in Serbia, sings and speaks in multiple languages, and her voice and repertoire cross genres as easily as most people breathe. It is always a delight to plan and present a “music without borders” concert together.

The 50th anniversary of one of the strangest musicals on the planet, and delightfully so. A parody of those terribly bad science fiction movies in the 1950s, the music score was crying for the most iconic instrument from that cinematic genre: a theremin. And a theremin was a musical part of the 8-week run. Time warp indeed.

This music group features American rhythm and blues and music of the cultures that make Provincetown a unique community: Balkan, Caribbean and Latin music with a healthy side of New Orleans funk. The band’s instruments have included an accordion, a tuba, a gaida (Bulgarian bagpipe) and a boom-bah (a Pennsylvania Dutch percussion pogo stick.

The 26th consecutive season of concerts of music without borders: Broadway, classical, chamber, Baroque, international, choral, organ, a cappella, folk, jazz… special events this year included “The 1940s Radio Show… LIVE!” and “New Voices of Provincetown” bringing younger performers to a new audience.

John and the phenomenal pianist Velislava Stoyanova, with special guest Romeo Smilkov, created a vibrant and exciting concert of piano music by Bulgarian and Turkish composers including Fazıl Say, and a wild finale dance by Marin Goleminov, filmed with a live audience at the Bulgaria National Radio Plovdiv studio.

A spring evening’s gathering of dozens of musicians from Plovdiv’s Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts and the National School of Folk Arts “Filip Kutev” in Kotel, organized by the famous singer and teacher Galya Petrova-Kirkova and Kotel’s director Maria Gradeshlieva... an opportunity to be part of a magic night of music in a legendary village of Bulgaria.

John collaborated with Dr. Petrova-Kirkova and her vocal students to create new piano arrangements of traditional folklore classics. Dozens of musicians performed at this concert in Plovdiv's Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts.

A living treasure in the world of Bulgarian choral and orchestral composition and conducting, Milcho Vasilev has compiled an epic music oeuvre. One of his most exuberant creations is the famous “Concertino for piano and folk orchestra”. John played it as part of a two-night celebration, with Vladimir Vladimirov conducting the Academy Folk Orchestra.

Edmund Bagnell is one of four gifted musicians in the group Well Strung. His solo concerts are impeccable and uplifting. Edmund’s music winds through country, pop, Broadway, classical and original songs. John and Edmund have presented several concerts together.

Provincetown Theater’s new version of the world’s longest running musical – 42 years – written by the show’s co-creator Tom Jones. John as music director combined his piano, Sue Goldberg’s electric bass, and Chan Varon Collins’ cello to create a different depth of sound, spark up the ballads, and take “They Were You” to zen simplicity. So much laughter and tears of joy.

A grand celebration of Bulgaria Fulbright’s good work and the 120th anniversary of Bulgarian and American diplomatic relations. John organized all of the music in collaboration with three Bulgarian colleagues: pianist Martin Dafinov, singer Ana Borisova, and multi-instrumentalist Ali Kelov. The Sofia Central Military Club grand concert hall was filled with a stellar audience. A night to remember.

In the wake of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, John invited three musicians to join him for a concert of meditative and inspiring music from the two countries. All donations for the concert were sent to Doctors Without Borders to support their life-saving help in the region.

John combined the music of two cultures to present “The Bulgarian & Ukrainian Piano: Tradition & Improvisation”. Presented as part of an ongoing series of concerts at various locations on Cape Cod organized by Monika Veress Woods who is a phenomenal clarinetist.

A musical tour of fascinating and diverse genres of folklore, composition, and modern styles that traverse the mountains, plains and sea of one of the most intriguing countries in the European Union. Music by Vladigerov, Nenov, Pipkov, Leviev, Nedyalkov, and composed improvisations based on folk melodies of Dobrudzha, Macedonia, Pleven, Rhodope, Sandanski and Thrace.

The hottest event of the Provincetown summer. An evening of Cuban music, Cuban food and balmy breezes under the stars with an all-star cast of performers. Arian Carlos delighted the sold-out theater with his virtuosic voice in a repertoire of Cuban classics, contemporary ballads, salsa, merengue and a tribute to Celia Cruz. John was music director for this one-night only extravaganza.

After two years of the pandemic and the continuation of the Great Music on Sundays @5 concert series with pre-recorded no-audience concerts online, the musicians and audience were “together again” with ten concerts of Broadway, international, jazz and beat poetry, a cappella, Bulgarian, Baroque and French salon music.

An elegant evening of music, nature, food and conversation in the courtyard of the famous Mary Heaton Vorse House in Provincetown. Eric Maul played the flute with John’s piano and an emphasis on compositions and folk melodies from France and Japan. The flower moon rose on cue.

War came to Ukraine. John created a program of meditative and inspiring music by Ukrainian composers including folk melodies. The hour-long no-applause benefit ended with the bells of Kyiv ringing throughout the sanctuary. All donations were sent to two organizations in Ukraine to help house, feed and support refugees crossing the border to find safety and peace.

John celebrated the holidays with a concert starring Ella Mae Dixon, a Wellfleet native based in New York City where she sings in many jazz clubs and concert settings. The program ranged from Broadway to pop to obscure to beloved, and the live audience loved every minute.

As in 2020, the 2021 season of Great Music on Sundays @5 continued with pre-recorded concerts with no audience. The setting was the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House, the videographers were Fermín Rojas and Jay Kubesch, the musicians were sublime, and thousands of viewers tuned in on Sundays at 5 for the eight concerts.

In the time of the pandemic the healing power of music was especially strong. This video series of seven half-hour world music meditations featured more than 35 of John’s favorite compositions, including many of his original pieces. Something wonderful was created with stellar guest musicians, exquisite film production, and the magic of the Provincetown Theater.

The 22nd season of Great Music on Sundays @5 in the first year of covid kept the music playing with eight recorded no-audience concerts beautifully filmed by Fermín Rojas and Jay Kubesch at the Provincetown Theater. Weekly premieres on Sundays at 5pm on the concert series’ YouTube channel brought joy and inspiration to thousands of viewers.

A mid-winter morning concert filmed with an audience at the Bulgarian National Radio Plovdiv concert hall with musicians from Bulgaria, China and the US. John debuted his performance of Pancho Vladigerov’s “Chant” op. 29. no. 4.

Closing weekend of the “Plovdiv 2019 European Capital of Culture” year. Musicians from Bulgaria, China and the US played global music. John’s “Improvisation” by Pancho Vladigerov filled the concert hall of the beautiful historic Bulgarian Revival style Balabanov House in the Old Town.

Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts presented the Academy Folk Orchestra, great soloists, and a special presentation of Milcho Vasilev’s “Concertino for piano and orchestra”. This was John’s debut performance with a Bulgarian orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Vladimirov. “I’m a better musician today because of each of them.”

Plovdiv, Bulgaria. John’s premiere performance at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in a concert with Bulgarian, Chinese and United States pianists and featuring the music of Ivan Spasov. John played “Meditation” by Dimitar Nenov and four modern bagatelles by Ivan Spasov.

Solo concert of original compositions, arrangements and improvisations of Bulgarian traditional folk melodies and favorite classical and film music selections. “Music without Borders”, an increasingly popular concept, is one of the easiest ways to promote mutual understanding and cultural exchange and a creative foundation for peace.

A powerful and joyous concert focusing on families and friends and the homes we create in our hearts and in our world. The music includes Broadway, classical, film, popular and international songs that bring us all closer to home. Friends uniting and journeys to come.

40th anniversary production with John’s uniquely arranged score for piano, woodwinds, cello and archived soundscapes. "[H]igh praise must be reserved for music director John Thomas, who does more with three musicians than might seem possible. His interpretation of Sondheim’s sophisticated motifs is graceful and emotional and jarring when it needs to be. The choral moments in ‘Sweeney Todd’ will reach down to your bones.” (Provincetown Banner)

Combining two perennial favorite Broadway concert themes – musicals with an American ambience and an international setting – this event takes Broadway to a global level in a cultural extravaganza of history, politics, peace, war, love, loss, community, migration, home… all the great themes of musical theater presented by wonderful singers.

The WorldFest concert is a highlight of the beginning of the summer season in Provincetown where workers from dozens of countries are the indispensible foundation of the tourism economy. The 2019 WorldFest concert included rock, rap, ballads, folklore and classical music performed by people from Bulgaria, Jamaica, Lithuania, Portugal, Serbia and Thailand.

A musical voyage through the Balkans. Genuine folk music with a modern twist. Beautiful and rhythmic melodies from Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia with singer Elena Mancheva, guitarist and tambura player Petar Dimitrov, and guitarist and singer Zoran Matich.

Mozelle is one of Cape Cod’s most mesmerizing vocalists. Her interpretations of classic songs, especially the music made famous by Billie Holiday, are unique and powerful. It is a delight to make music with Mozelle.

Jay Baer writes delightfully fresh and witty lyrics for famous Broadway songs to celebrate an unusual and unique community at the tip of Cape Cod. The concert, first presented in 2018 at the Great Music on Sundays @5 series in Provincetown, made its Boston debut at Club Café.

“In this jukebox musical, you couldn’t stop your feet from tapping if you tried…. Terrifically backing the music and action, and becoming characters themselves at certain points, are the musicians in the Bodacious Bobcats band: music director John Thomas on piano”. (Cape Cod Times)

John’s performance debut in Bulgaria at the Pearl Festival in Primorsko on the Black Sea. The concert featured his piano interpretations and arrangements of traditional folk melodies, his original music inspired by nature on Cape Cod, and a Bulgarian-American mash-up finale with guest bassist Ali Kelov.

The internationally produced author and director of musicals for the stage in a concert featuring his lyrics from Side Show (two Tony Award nominations), Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens, Lucky Duck, Unexpected and other musicals. Bill shared delightful insights into the creative process of writing musicals.

This concert celebrates the immigrant experience and countless journeys of millions from homelands of origin to America with hopes that future generations would have better lives. We all have it in our hearts to celebrate each other and to honor our own immigrant ancestors who came here just as our new friends are arriving from distant shores today.

The 20th exciting season of 18 weekly Great Music on Sundays @5 concerts June 10 to October presented a grand melodic buffet: Broadway, Balkan, Baroque, choral, chamber, piano, organ… music of our world. The theme for this season was “The Art of Music, The Music of Art”.

A delightful summer residency of performances with Brian Calhoon on marimba and vocals and special guests each week. Repertoire included Broadway, Gershwin, Bartok, New Orleans, Disney musicals, Bulgarian melodies, and Argentinean tango.

A celebration of the inspiration of visual art in great musicals all performed during the simultaneous display of evocative paintings by Salvatore Del Deo, Robert Henry, Sky Power and Peter Watts. Sponsored by Berta Walker Gallery. “The art of making art is putting it together.” – Stephen Sondheim, Sunday in the Park with George