Brittany and Eli: A sibling story of art, support and serendipity

Growing up in the small city of Shelby, North Carolina, siblings Brittany and Elijah "Eli" Thomas never imagined that their paths would lead them to thriving careers in the arts. Though Brittany (B.M. ’16, M.M. ’18 & PAC Music ’19) and Eli (High School ’19 and B.F.A. ’23 Design and Production) took very different artistic routes, their journeys were deeply intertwined thanks to their shared experiences at UNCSA. 

The journey to UNCSA 

Brittany discovered her love for music in high school band class, but she initially had other plans. "I had dreamed of becoming a nurse," she recalls. "But my SAT scores weren’t high enough, so I went for my backup, which was music." That backup plan became a calling. She began college in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, but an influential teacher in the Winston-Salem Symphony encouraged her to transfer to UNCSA. There, she studied Horn and earned her Bachelor of Music, Master of Music and Performing Artist Certificate from the School of Music, ultimately graduating in 2019. 

At UNCSA, Brittany became deeply involved in ArtistCorps, a community engagement program that provides arts education and exposure to underserved communities in the Winston-Salem area. Through ArtistCorps, she worked with children in public elementary and middle schools, giving them access to the kind of mentorship and instruction that had been so pivotal in her own journey.

"That experience really opened my eyes to how music can impact lives beyond performance," Brittany says. "It helped shape my passion for arts education and outreach." 

Eli, on the other hand, was initially drawn to filmmaking and visual art. "I started to take art classes in high school — more drawing and color design," he says. "Then I got into yearbook, where I started working on my computer and doing graphic design." Brittany, recognizing his talent, encouraged him to explore opportunities at UNCSA. He first attended two summers of the university's Filmmaking Summer Intensive before applying to the High School Visual Arts program for his senior year of high school.  

After high school, Eli initially applied to the School of Filmmaking with dreams of studying cinematography, but a pivotal conversation with Rebecca Nussbaum — the UNCSA Director of Career Readiness and Community Engagement — led him to consider lighting design in the School of Design & Production (D&P). That decision proved transformative. 

"It was a little rigorous and new territory," Eli admits. "But I think my whole life has been putting myself in situations where I know a little about what I’m doing, and the goal is to learn as much as I possibly can and succeed as quickly as possible." 

At UNCSA, Eli immersed himself in the world of lighting design, working on multiple productions that pushed his creative and technical skills. "The hands-on training was unparalleled," he says. "From working on mainstage productions to collaborating with other students across disciplines, I was constantly learning and evolving." 

Supporting each other  

From the beginning, Brittany and Eli championed each other’s ambitions. Brittany helped Eli navigate his transition to UNCSA, and they continue to be each other’s sounding boards in their arts careers. "There have been many late-night phone calls being like, ‘Brittany, what am I doing? Am I crazy?’" Eli laughs. "And she’s like, ‘No, you should reach out to this person, or here’s a revised resume because yours didn’t look good the first time.’" 

Their artistic worlds also began to overlap in unexpected ways. "We’ve had long conversations about music and lighting," Brittany says. "Eli might be working on an opera and wanting to know how music terms relate to lighting choices, and we can talk about how the key changes might influence the color palette." When they attend performances together in New York, Brittany listens for the music while Eli studies the lights, broadening each other’s perspectives on the arts. 

Flourishing in the arts 

After graduating from UNCSA, Brittany was selected for the prestigious William R. Kenan, Jr. Fellowships at Lincoln Center Education, which led her to New York City. There, she furthered her passion for arts education and administration, working as the Director of Education for an orchestra that provided free music composition classes in schools. Now, she serves as the Artistic Administrative Assistant at Trinity Church, helping to coordinate more than 40 free concerts a year, many with a focus on social and political themes. 

Eli followed a similar trajectory in his field. He earned a fellowship with the UNCSA Fellowships at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., before relocating to New Jersey. His time at UNCSA prepared him well for the demands of the industry. "The School of Design & Production teaches you how to handle multiple projects at once," he says. "I left knowing that no matter how challenging a job is, I can step up to the task." 

One of Eli’s most memorable projects took him beyond the United States. While still a student, he collaborated with scenic designer and fellow UNCSA alumna Gisella Estrada on a production of “Encanto” in El Salvador. "I was juggling that while handling my full class load and another design project at UNCSA — it was insanity," he says. "But [then faculty member] Clifton Taylor sat me down and said, ‘This is what your life will look like.’ And he was right." 

The lasting impact of UNCSA 

Both Brittany and Eli credit UNCSA with giving them the tools to pursue their careers in the arts, not just in performance or design, but in the broader creative ecosystem. "I never felt pigeonholed into one career path," Brittany says. "Just because I have a master’s in horn performance doesn’t mean that’s my whole life. UNCSA encouraged me to explore all my interests, and that’s why I’m where I am today." 

I never felt pigeonholed into one career path... UNCSA encouraged me to explore all my interests, and that’s why I’m where I am today.

Brittany Thomas

Eli echoes that sentiment. "UNCSA pushed me to seek out opportunities beyond the classroom. It gave me the confidence to say yes to new challenges, even if I didn’t feel 100% ready." 

They also both credit Nussbaum with helping them carve their own paths in their industries.  

Looking ahead 

The siblings have yet to officially collaborate on a project, though they’ve discussed the possibility. "We had talked of Eli possibly lighting my final Kenan Fellowship performance, but he was too busy at the time," Brittany recalls. Still, they like to dream of a future project that merges their talents. 

Regardless of where their careers take them, one thing is certain: Brittany and Eli Thomas will continue to support, challenge and inspire each other. From a small city in North Carolina to the artistic hubs of New York and New Jersey, their journeys prove that the arts can lead to unexpected and fulfilling careers — and that sometimes, the best support system is a sibling who understands the path you’ve chosen. 

by Melissa Upton-Julio

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