Tom Kaufmann began his career as a professional musician over thirty years ago at a night club in Osaka, Japan. Since that time he has entertained audiences as a soloist and with a number of groups in the San Francisco area, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, and throughout the midwest.
He’s currently appearing in the Beacon Lounge at the top of the Historic Park Place Hotel in Traverse City, Michigan.
In 2001 Tom began a new career as a sculptor, when he designed a musical wire sculpture called Your Name Rings a Bell. Since then he has created an ever expanding collection of whimsical wire figures, three dimensional doodles, and customized mobiles. You can see his work, and hear an original composition, in this video:
His most recent obsession has been the construction of unusual mallet instruments; lithophones (instruments which are similar to a xylophone, but made of stone), and his new “Toolbox Glockenspiels” (made from wrenches and bolts).
In addition to a busy performance schedule, Tom continues to compose and record his original music.
He is also the owner of Tinkertunes Music Studios in Traverse City, a music teaching facility he opened in 1995.
Kaufmann’s Traveling Musical Instrument Petting Zoo is a hands-on learning experience that has delighted thousands of students of all ages, in schools, libraries, and museums throughout the region.
His Upright Furniture Company which builds custom designed desks, made from old upright pianos, has been featured in several publications including The Detroit News, Traverse Magazine, and The Record Eagle.
Tom and his wife Judy Childs have two children, their son Miles and daughter, Elise.
