A few years ago, back in his hometown of Lancaster, Pa., Wharton sophomore Evan Thomas was inspired by the hit movie Pitch Perfect to start the a cappella group All Tied Up at Manheim Township High School.
“All of a sudden a cappella was the coolest thing. So in all the hype, I gathered my singing friends together to start a group,” he says. “I taught myself how to arrange the music.
“But, the group fell apart as interest waned, and it ended altogether when one member told me publicly that I would never have a real a cappella group, no one would ever want to learn my arrangements, and nobody wants to do this with me. I was so crushed.”
That Thomas has moved so far beyond that devastating experience is a testament to his character and faith—in God and in himself. “I knew I had an unfulfilled dream,” he says.
“My faith is very important to me,” says Thomas. “All Jesus has called us to do is to love, but sometimes we get lost in other things—selfishness, pride, and ritual that doesn’t mean very much.”
Faith informs all parts of Thomas’s life, which propelled him on a two-year spiritual journey to Mexico after graduating from high school, empowered him to pursue his life-long love of music in college, and, perhaps most important, encouraged him to, as he says, step out of his comfort zone and care.
Before coming to Penn, Thomas’s faith led him to take a gap year serving in Mexico with the organization Youth With a Mission Mazatlán, which ultimately led to two years serving in various other parts of the country, including, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Morelia, and even less-urban, indigenous parts of the country.
“Besides Mazatlán, my favorite place in all of Mexico is Zapotlán del Rey in the state of Jalisco,” he says. “After a three-month trip serving and teaching in rural Mexico, I saw I really loved the rural area and wanted to stay longer. The last pastor we worked with invited me to do so and sort of adopted me. He said if I stayed for three years they’d give me a wife.”
Thomas declined the wife and returned to start his freshman year at Penn. Bolstered by his personal growth from his years in Mexico, his faith in himself and his music led him to join the a capella group Dischord in 2016.
“The seniors in Dischord, to this day, are still some of the most talented singers I have ever heard,” he says of the group he almost didn't join.
He explains, “I auditioned for two a cappella groups and wanted to get into the one that wasn't Dischord. But then during callbacks, I heard both groups sing, and Dischord clearly became my first choice. I got in, and that first year I was kind of star struck at the fact that I was singing next to some of these people.”
Thomas quickly became the 15-member group’s musical director, earning the respect and support of former Dischord president CeCe Sambuco.
“Evan constantly thinks about how we can improve and pushes us to be our best selves,” says Sambuco who is from New York City. “He has led us to new levels of musical talent and friendship, and as music director he has arranged some of the most interesting and fun songs that I have performed in all my four years in Dischord.”
Thomas is now the group’s president, and when he took over the reins this semester from Sambuco, she knew they were in good hands.
“Although I am older in terms of my year in school, Evan has been a mentor to me. I’m convinced he will be the next big songwriter, producer, and performer,” says the Penn senior. “He’s an amazing friend, and Dischord is so grateful to have him.”
Freshman Isabella Mancene from Scotch Plains, N.J., who serves as Dischord's secretary, says Thomas impresses her so much. “It’s amazing that he has all this talent, yet is such a genuine and kind human being. He just exudes happiness, even if it’s a rough day, and likes to see people smile.”
Says Thomas, “Dischord has not only made me a better singer but a better person, as I have had to learn how to be friends with and lead people who are very different from me, who value different things and see the world in a different way.
“But that’s the beauty of Dischord and why we all stay.”
Dischord is not just music and friendship, though; the group has its challenges. Thomas explains that Dischord is not a member of the University’s A Cappella Council, meaning it gets no funding, rehearsal space, or show venue space, making the job of the Dischord’s president much harder.
As current president, he says his first task is to get Dischord’s name out there and find a sustainable income stream. “We’re a group of underdogs with a lot of unrecognized talent,” he says. “That’s why I like the group a lot, and I think others will as well.”
Twice a year, the group performs a show and records a studio album. The album is set to be released this summer.
Besides Dischord, Thomas is involved in the Christian Union (CU)at Penn where his singing and his humility caught the attention of Tucker Else, ministry director for the organization.
“Evan is a guy in whom there seems to be no deceit,” Else says. “He is honorable–a young man who pursues the good and the beautiful and the true. And yet he is incredibly vulnerable in how he presents himself.
“He is a Christian with strong convictions and an incredibly gifted singer yet completely open about his own weaknesses and failures,” says Else. “Incredibly high standards, but a heart of mercy. He has used his gifts in music and has participated in our Bible course, offering spiritual leadership.”
Thomas's fellow Dischord singer Mancene echoes Else's comments: “Evan believes in his faith. I admire that because not everyone is so forthcoming, so committed. Just being around him makes me a better person.”
As Else sums up, “Evan cares about Penn. He cares about students here. Not just those in CU, but those with whom he lives and works and leads.”
Thomas still isn’t sure what his future holds. He hasn’t yet chosen a concentration, although marketing, public policy, and real estate are all in the running. And, of course, music continues to be an important part of his life.
“I write a lot of my own music,” he says. “I feel pulled—almost against my will—to that industry, both the business and the performing sides.”
Or he might return to Mexico where he says, “I’d be happy raising a family.”
