Islands in the North Atlantic, like Tory Island - the Irish island of legend and myth, the Hebridean Island of Staffa or the wild archipelago of the Faroe Islands situated between the Shetlands and Iceland - these are the places where Thomas spends a considerable amount of time every year to compose music. Dramatic coastal landscapes, the wide open space of the Atlantic ocean and the ever changing sky reflect in the pieces of music written there.

The tunes are accompanied by photographs Thomas took during his travels to the islands and in his solo programme these “Northern Isles pictures” are part of the show.

Since 1984 Thomas has toured across Europe, Canada and the USA. He has received numerous international prizes, including first prize at the O'Carolan Harp Festival in 1987. Since that year he has been working together with Scottish guitarist/composer Ian Melrose. Both represented Germany at the European Broadcasting Union Festival in Norway in 1989. Thomas' first album was released in 1992: "New Music for Celtic Harp".

The musicians appearing on Thomas' 2nd CD, the Celtic Heartbeat/Universal album "Norland Wind", are the artists Thomas has been working together with for years: Ian, Kerstin Blodig, Riverdance fiddle player Máire Breatnach and Clannad's Noel and Pádraig Duggan.

Today much of Thomas' time is spent writing, collaborating and recording. Besides the tours with his band Norland Wind, he also works together with Acoustic Eidolon, Máire Breatnach, pianist Lutz Gerlach, flutist Ellen Czaya, Christiane Stanko ("Stories from Tory"), and as a soloist.

On the album "Northern Isles" (April 2007) Thomas once again is joined by his friends and colleagues of Norland Wind: Ian, Máire, Kerstin, Noel and Pádraig and - for the first time - by Acoustic Eidolon's Hannah Alkire (cello) and Joe Scott (double neck guitjo, guitar, whistles).

"People are listening to quiet haunting music again," says Thomas. "It's amazing how the sound of the harp takes the speed out of everyday life and brings you back to a sort of tingling slowness.

Galleries:    Northern Isles Picture Gallery I         Northern Isles Picture Gallerie II

               Northern Isles Picture Gallery III        Picture Gallery “The Skeena”

Current CD: "Departures" (November 2008) Laika records

Thomas at myspace:    myspace.com/thomasloefke     

Booking: thomas@norlandwind.eu  tel: +49 171 271 0944