Tomás Martín is internationally recognized as one of the leading advocates for the castanets in the symphonic field of the 21st century. His exceptional virtuosity, combined with an innovative artistic vision, has played a decisive role in establishing the castanets as a true concert instrument, expanding its expressive possibilities and bringing it to the forefront of performances with major symphony orchestras.

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His work extends far beyond performance. Tomás Martín is at the forefront of the creation of a new repertoire for castanets and orchestra, working closely with composers and musical institutions on the premieres of works that are significantly expanding the instrument’s international concert literature. This pioneering activity has established him as a reference for composers, conductors, and artistic programmers seeking to explore new sonic possibilities within the contemporary repertoire.

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In 2025, he made his debut at the Cartagena International Music Festival (Colombia) with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, under the baton of Thierry Fischer, performing Four Scenes from the Spanish Suite for castanets and orchestra (Albéniz/Flores Chaviano), one of the most significant additions to the symphonic castanet repertoire in recent decades. The work had been commissioned and premiered at the 34th Leon Spanish Music Festival, marking a milestone in the consolidation of the castanets as a solo instrument with orchestra.

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Later that year, he gave the world premiere of Sonatas (84–88) y Fandango for castanets and orchestra by Antonio Soler, in the orchestral version by Flores Chaviano, with the State Sibiu Philharmonic (Romania). The recovery and orchestration of this remarkable score represent an outstanding artistic and cultural contribution, enriching a historically limited repertoire and opening new perspectives for the castanets within the international symphonic scene.

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Also in 2025, he was invited as soloist on a concert tour with the Siciliana Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by José Luis López Antón, performing a programme devoted entirely to Spanish music and further consolidating his growing presence on major European stages.

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In July 2026, he premiered The white blacbird: six dancers for castanets and orchestra, a symphonic recreation by Tomás Martín based on the music of Manuel de Falla, commissioned by the Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth. Conducted by Sylvain Gasançon, the project represents one of the most ambitious contributions to date towards integrating the castanets into the major orchestral repertoire and marks another important step in the instrument's international development.

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In the 26/27 season, he collaborates with the Guayaquil Symphony Orchestra (Ecuador), the Maldonado International Guitar Festival (Uruguay), the Antofagasta Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Chile, and the National Orchestra of Nicaragua; likewise, he returns to perform with the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra at the Estate Musicale Festival 2027.

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Through a career distinguished by world premieres, commissions, and projects dedicated to the recovery and expansion of musical heritage, Tomás Martín is writing a decisive new chapter in the history of the castanets. His commitment to the creation of new repertoire and his advocacy for the instrument as a symphonic solo voice have positioned him among the most influential artists of his generation and as one of the musicians making the greatest contribution to the international recognition of the castanets in the world of concert music.

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He has collaborated with distinguished conductors including Alejandro Posada, Sylvain Gasançon, Thierry Fischer, José Luis López Antón, Damiano Tognetti, Lucas Macías, Giancarlo Marcianò, and Oliver Díaz, and has performed with orchestras such as the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana, Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León, State Sibiu Philharmonic, Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga, Orquesta Sinfónica de Iberacademy (Medellín), Filarmonica Pitești (Romania), Orquesta Filarmonía de Oviedo, Orquesta Ciudad de León, Orquesta Filarmónica de La Mancha, and the Banda Primitiva de Llíria. He has also appeared at the 35th Ponferrada International Guitar Festival, the 38th Festival de Música Española de León alongside guitarist Javier Verdugo as the Martín–Verdugo Duo, the 33rd Medina del Campo International Music Week with Sexteto iberyCAS, and with the Iberia Marimba Ensemble.

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Founder and Artistic Director of CAMerata IberyCAS, an ensemble that brings together a classical string camerata with the castanets as solo instrument, Tomás Martín is dedicated to promoting Spanish chamber music repertoire. Between 2020 and 2024, he premiered works written especially for him by Flores Chaviano, Israel López Estelche, María José Cordero, José Zárate, and Joaquín Gericó. His performances have been broadcast on Radio Clásica, Televisión Española, and AllegroHD, the Latin American television channel dedicated to classical music. He has also recorded the album Esencias, devoted to Spanish music, with the Camerata Clásica de Ponferrada.

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Born in Madrid in 1970, Tomás Martín is currently Assistant Principal Timpanist of the Castilla and León Symphony Orchestra. He served as Professor of Percussion at the Conservatorio Superior de Castilla y León from 1995 to 2023. He also holds qualifications in Articular Osteopathy and Therapeutic Massage, specializing in the treatment and rehabilitation of musicians with musculoskeletal injuries. He earned his PhD from the University of Valladolid and performs on Jale black grenadilla castanets (sizes 5–8).