Dr. Thomas J. O'Neal maintains an active conducting schedule, having conducted professional student ensembles throughout North America and Europe. Ensembles under his direction have been featured at music conferences and festivals, including the Grieg Music Festival in Bergen, Norway, and the regional convention of the College Band Directors National Association. Additionally, the Pacific Lutheran University Wind Ensemble and the Arkansas State University Wind Ensemble have been featured on broadcasts of National Public Radio's Performance Today.

During Dr. O'Neal's tenure as the Director of Bands at Arkansas State University, the University Wind Ensemble released their first compact disc, Visions, in 1995. The CD featured the music of Arkansas band composers and received critical acclaim for "fine playing...high musical integrity and energy." Their second compact disc, ...nite ridin' on da riva, was released in 1997. In 1998, the Wind Ensemble released a live recording of their performance at the College Band Directors National Association conference.

The performance featured the music of Pulitzer prize-winning composer Karel Husa, including Apotheosis of This Earth and Concertino for Piano and Winds. The performance was acknowledged by the composer as "one of the finest live performance of my music that I have ever experienced." The Wind Ensemble also recorded on the Citadel Records label, and for Southern Music and Counterpoint Music Publishers.

A native Iowan, Dr. O'Neal received a bachelor of music education degree from Iowa State University in Ames, the master of music degree from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, and the doctor of musical arts degree in conducting from the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Dr. O'Neal has been featured as a clinician or guest conductor in thirty-one states throughout the United States. His areas of expertise include concert band, wind ensemble, conducting, and band techniques.