Thomas Chabalier is a French composer and vibraphone player, born in Antibes, France. He studied percussion in Nice before earning a Bachelor of Arts in Musicology at the University Paris La Sorbonne and a Master of Arts in Jazz Performance from the Paris National Conservatoire. In 2015, he moved to the United States to complete a second Master of Arts in Film Scoring Composition at Columbia College Chicago, with exchange programs at the Royal Conservatory of Stockholm and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

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While performing as a jazz musician and composing for ensembles, Thomas began scoring films, trailers, and advertisements in France, Germany, and the United States. His early film, The Wheel of Emotions, was selected for the Cannes Film Festival Cinefundation program in 2015.

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In 2016, he won 1st prize at the International Red Bull Media Portfolio Film Scoring Competition for a hybrid composition blending electronics, strings, and voices. Shortly after, his orchestral score for the animated film The Little Thing received the Film Score Award at the European Talent Competition in SoundTrack Cologne.

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Recently, Thomas composed music for the Disney ad campaign, which was broadcast worldwide on major television networks, and for the video game Grounded (PC and Xbox). These projects were inspired by his admiration for Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, a source of enduring musical inspiration.

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In the concert world, his piece “Sparks (Étincelles)” was commissioned and premiered by the WDR Funkhausorchester of Cologne (2023–2024) and subsequently broadcast on the German radio station WDR3. His other concert works have been commissioned by chamber ensembles across Europe.

His compositions have also been recognized in the operatic world: two of his pieces were selected for Generation Opéra, performed at the Opéra Bastille, and broadcast on France Musique on March 14, 2026.

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In addition to composing, Thomas is passionate about teaching and sharing his expertise. Since 2023, he teaches film scoring and jazz harmony at the Conservatoire of the City of Luxembourg, helping the next generation of musicians develop their creative voices.

Thomas’s work bridges cinematic scoring and contemporary concert music, drawing on his jazz background to create music that blends orchestral depth, hybrid textures, and emotional storytelling.