Few Belmont Hill boys are unfamiliar with Armin Thomas’s immortal battle cry. It rings through the chapel in his renowned Woodbury performances, and it echoes through The Kraft Theater (as much as something can echo in The Kraft Theater), where his coffee house renditions, those both serious and humorous, have drawn rave reviews. Most of all, it leaves its indelible mark on the hallowed halls of the Prenatt Music Building, where Armin has spent countless hours of his Belmont Hill career, lost in the magic of creating and perfecting his own style of music.
Armin is renowned across campus for his prowess on both the piano and the trombone, but his musical journey actually started with cello at five years old. After six months, six year old Armin switched to the violin, and his search for his musical passion continued. Armin finally found it the next year at seven, when he picked up the piano. Now, he studies with Andrew Goodridge at NEC as he works towards his PLE IV evaluation as a member of the NEC Certificate Program. He is also a prolific composer, and among his fondest memories is the legendary performance of highlights from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony – “Belmont Hill music’s finest hour” – that he himself arranged and conducted at the Spring Concert a year ago.
Armin’s contributions to the arts reach far and wide to nearly every corner. President of the Belmont Hill Orchestra and one of its spiritual leaders since his arrival in Form III, Armin is also the de facto leader of the vaunted Belmont Hill Chamber Society. He also plays trombone in the Jazz Combo (and dabbles with the Jazz Band), and he won the Spring Woodbury competition in his junior year. Outside of school, he both plays trombone in New England Conservatory’s Youth Repertory Orchestra and is a leading member of NEC’s top level piano seminar.
Armin is multifaceted in his music-making, and as such he has many artists whom he admires. Among composers, he draws inspiration from Gustav Mahler’s blaring brass and legendary Ludwig van Beethoven; he admires conductor Gustavo Dudamel, and his favorite pianist is Krystian Zimerman. I’m sure Armin will be happy to hear that his own energetic musicality has likewise inspired many Belmont Hill musicians as well. As somebody who has worked with him on several musical projects over the past three years, I know that he has certainly been an inspiration to me. As Armin graduates and continues his music-making in college and beyond, I’m sure he will bring his tireless energy and limitless passion to every community that is lucky enough to have him.
