Professor Thomas Patterson marks 45 years of service to the University of Arizona School of Music and celebrates a legacy of teaching, performance and mentorship.
This year, the University of Arizona School of Music celebrates Professor Thomas Patterson as he marks 45 years of service to the University of Arizona. Patterson was among the University employees recognized during the 2026 University Service Awards, which honored 1,099 employees reaching service milestones during the 2026 recognition.
Patterson is a Professor of Guitar and the Sanford & Phyllis Bolton Endowed Chair for Classical Guitar. For more than four decades, he has directed the Bolton Guitar Studies Program, working with students from Tucson and around the world.
Building the Bolton Guitar Studies Program
When Patterson began his 41st year directing Bolton Guitar Studies in 2021, he reflected on the potential he saw in Arizona when he first arrived. He described Arizona’s proximity to Mexico and its connection to Hispanic culture as an important part of the region’s guitar community. The program has since attracted students from countries around the world and developed a strong connection with the Tucson community and the Tucson Guitar Society.
The Bolton Guitar Studies Program was strengthened by the generosity of Sanford and Phyllis Bolton. In 2011, the Boltons gave $2 million to establish the Sanford and Phyllis Bolton Endowed Chair for Classical Guitar, a position held by Patterson, followed by an additional $1.1 million to establish the Sanford and Phyllis Bolton Endowment for Guitar.
Today, the program hosts internationally acclaimed artists, including Sergio and Odair Assad and David Russell, who work with students through concerts and master classes.
A Legacy of Student Success
Patterson’s students have earned prizes at prestigious international competitions, including the Guitar Foundation of America, Tárrega, Segovia, Montreal and Stotsenberg competitions. Former students have gone on to hold professorships in Colombia, China, the Philippines, Canada, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, the United States and Brazil.
For Patterson, however, the success of the program is ultimately about its students. In a 2021 Arizona Arts feature, he described the program’s accomplishments in simple terms: “Our program is great because of the students.”
Students have also described Patterson’s approach as one that encourages them to develop their own musical voices. In the same feature, doctoral candidate Andres Pantoja described Patterson as an experienced and open-minded teacher who guides students while allowing them to develop their own approaches to playing.
A Career Beyond the Classroom
Patterson’s career as a performer has taken him throughout North America, the People’s Republic of China, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Mexico and Italy. He has also received numerous prizes and awards, including fellowships from the Tinker and Kellogg Foundations. A Tinker Fellowship supported performances in South America, where Patterson studied with Abel Carlevaro in Montevideo, Uruguay, and Antonio Lauro in Caracas, Venezuela.
His commitment to the University of Arizona has remained just as significant. After 41 years at Arizona, Patterson reflected on his decision to remain in Tucson, saying he was proud of what he had accomplished and created there.
He also spoke about the personal connection he has to his work: “I am so enthusiastic about what I do. I love it. My student’s success is my own.”
As Professor Patterson celebrates 45 years at the University of Arizona, his work continues through the students he has mentored, the Bolton Guitar Studies Program he has helped shape, and the broader classical guitar community connected to Arizona.
Congratulations to Professor Tom Patterson on 45 years of service to the University of Arizona School of Music!
By: Marisabel Lares