Faculty Profile for Dr. Thomas James Rinn

Biography Section

Biography and Education

Thomas Rinn currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education at Texas State University where he teaches courses in music education, is director of the Aurora Voce Treble Choir, and leads the Hill Country Youth Chorus. Dr. Rinn completed his PhD in Music Education at the University of North Texas where he served as a teaching fellow conducting the UNT Chorale (Tenor-Bass Chorus) and taught courses in music education and choral conducting. He holds a Master of Music Education from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He taught high school in Texas for twenty years in the San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas-Fort Worth areas. In addition, Mr. Rinn has served as director of the Houston Boychoir Chamber Choir and in various church positions throughout his career. Choirs under Rinn's direction have been honored with invitations to perform for the Texas Music Educators Association in 2010 (Juan Seguin High School Chamber Choir), 2018 (Colleyville Heritage Panther Chorale), and for the 2018 Southwest American Choral Directors Association (CHHS Panther Chorale).

Research Interests

Rinn is a frequent choral clinician, guest conductor, adjudicator, and presenter of teacher training nationwide. His research interests include music teacher preparation, psychological factors in music education, and social media in music education. Recent and upcoming conference presentations include the NAfME National Conference, SMTE National Conference, ACDA Symposium for Research in Choral Singing, the Desert Skies Symposium on Research in Music Learning and Teaching, the American Choral Directors Association National Conference, and the Texas Music Educators Association annual conference. Rinn has recent publications in Update: Applications of Research in Music Education and the Journal of Research in Music Education.