Thomas Cimarusti, Ph.D.

A native of Los Angeles, Dr. Thomas M. Cimarusti received his Ph.D. at Florida State University and is currently a Professor of Music History and Program Leader for the B.A. Music degree at Florida Gulf Coast University. His research interests include 18th- and 19th-century Italian opera and song, chamber music, and the music of communal utopias and presented his research at conferences in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Tom is also an avid accordion player, having studied since the age of 9 with legendary accordionist Mr. Dick Contino and has performed with the Tallahassee Symphony, the Naples Philharmonic, and for university events. In 2018 he founded the Center for Public Musicology (CPM), an institution that promotes community engagement through private and public lectures, opera excursions, and ensemble instruction. He has been the recipient of numerous research grants and excellence in teaching awards. He lives in Naples, FL with his wife Christy and two boys, Paul and Christopher.