Biography

Dr. Jennifer Thomas, musicologist, is the author of the most comprehensive catalogue of the Renaissance motet to date, an electronic database that enables a comprehensive, fluid inquiry into the central genre of the sixteenth-century and for which she has articulated new research methodologies. Her current and recent research touches on a wide range of Renaissance topics such as repertory formation during the Renaissance, core repertory motets at the French court, classical traits in Renaissance polyphony, the relationships among the major Renaissance genres of mass, motet, and chanson, Josquin Des Prez, new methodologies enabled by the availability of large musicological databases, biographical information to be gleaned from an understanding of Renaissance music sources, and the social and musical contexts of individual motets. She regards the motet, the central genre of most sixteenth-century composers, as an effective vehicle for investigating a broad spectrum of topics in the musical culture of the Renaissance.

She has authored articles and papers related to this topic and presented her research findings nationally and internationally at such venues as the American Musicological Society Annual Meeting and Southern Chapter meetings, the International Musicological Society Congress; the International Medieval-Renaissance Conference; Renaissance Society of America; Exploring the Renaissance, An International Conference; "On the Relationship of Imitation and Text Treatment? The Motet Around 1500" (Bangor, Wales); and “Early Music: Context and Ideas” (Krakow, Poland).

Dr. Thomas earned the Ph.D. at University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where she received the university’s Distinguished Dissertation Award and the Corbett Ph.D. Award from the College-Conservatory’s Foundation for the Advancement of Music. She taught at Bowling Green State University, University of Evansville, and University of Cincinnati before joining the faculty of University of Florida’s School of Music. She has taught classes in African music, medieval and renaissance music, chamber music literature, research techniques and writing about music, and music history at all levels. At University of Florida, she advises theses and dissertations and teaches music history and musicology courses, with special emphasis on early music. 

Thomas directs the Motet Choir at the University of Florida and has performed on the Baroque recorder. She has served as an officer in the Southern Chapter of the American Musicological Society and on the American Musicological Society Council as well as in community service organizations with special interests in literacy and the welfare of women and children.