Tom has been performing professionally since his teen years.  He has performed in many acclaimed ensembles including New Morning String Band and Nothin' Doin'. His recent band, Lulu's Fate, was featured at the Takoma Park and Chamizal Folk Festivals, as well as other regional concert series.  Along the way, Tom has performed and recorded with Bruce Hornsby, Stephen Bennett, Peter Rowan, Mac Wiseman, Jethro Burns, Wayne Henderson, and has done workshops with Bill Monroe.

Currently, Tom also performs with Carolyn Fischer, a local singer-songwriter.

In addition to teaching and performing, Tom is a composer and a producer.  He has written for chamber orchestra, theater, and dance groups, and one of his multi-media pieces was featured in "New Music America" festival in Washington D.C. He was commissioned to arrange for the Paul Winter Consort and for Trapezoid, who recorded his arrangements on Cool of the Day, Another Country, and Now and Then. Tom's own music can be heard on "Feather River" on Rounder Records, and "Which Way Waltz" on his own label, Creative Life recordings.