BIOGRAPHY
Karla Thomas is a soprano from Augusta, Georgia, currently serving as an apprentice artist with the Savannah VOICE Festival. She is pursuing her Master of Music in Vocal Performance at Georgia Southern University, where she studies with Dr. Arrika Gregory. She began her graduate studies at the University of Memphis under the guidance of Dr. Paulina Villarreal.
During the University of Memphis Opera’s 2024–25 season, Thomas appeared in the chorus of The Rake’s Progress in collaboration with Opera Memphis, performed as Rose in Street Scene for the university’s Opera Scenes Program, and is currently performing in the chorus of The Most Happy Fella. Her additional stage credits include Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Pirates of Penzance, and La Bella Dormente nel Bosco with Georgia Southern Opera, as well as West Side Story and Footloose with Davidson Fine Arts Theatre.
On the competition stage, Thomas was a third-place winner in the Southeastern Region of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), a finalist in the SERNATS American Negro Spiritual category, and a participant in the 2025 Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition (North Carolina District). She recently competed in the 2025 George Shirley Vocal Competition.
She has participated in master classes with renowned artists and pedagogues including George Shirley, Andrew Stenson, and Louise Toppin.
A passionate advocate for African American and African diaspora composers, Thomas’s current research explores the complex and intertwined legacies of spirituals and minstrelsy, with a focus on their cultural and historical impact within American music.
Thomas earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Georgia Southern University, where she performed in numerous operatic and musical theater productions, recitals, and departmental showcases.
In addition to her vocal artistry, Thomas has a background in ballet, jazz, and tap, and has served as dance captain for multiple stage productions. She is also committed to arts advocacy and community engagement.
In summer 2025, Thomas will participate as a Milnes VOICE Studio artist, where she will be featured in the Savannah VOICE Festival’s Once Upon a Time concert, showcasing music inspired by fairy tales and storytelling.
Last but most importantly, Karla Thomas knows that her gift is from God. Her purpose is to glorify Him and shine His light upon others through the use of her voice.