16-year-old music prodigy from Massachusetts studying drums at Berklee College
BOSTON - A teenager from Massachusetts is putting his music skills to work as a student at Boston's Berklee College of Music.
Thomas Thunder is a 16-year-old percussion prodigy from Fairhaven. He is obsessed with cymbals, hi-hats, tom toms and bass drums, the beat flowing through his fingers.
"My life is just music," said Thunder.
Thunder's family discovered his talent for music when he was just 5 years old, progressing quickly on the drums, eventually teaching himself to compose entire songs on his own by the time he was 10.
"I knew it was right then when everyone realized that I had a talent," said Thunder,
And it wasn't just his family who noticed. Thunder is homeschooled and at only 16 has completed all high school requirements, so he took a chance, applying to one of the most prestigious music schools in the country - Berklee College of Music. He got in.
Thunder is a part of the Berklee Online program with a rigorous application process. Berklee Online offers similar coursework as on campus learning but for students who need more flexibility.
"Students who can't come to Boston because of geographic reasons, cost reasons. Students who are out touring on the road," said Berklee Online Chief Operating Officer Michael Moyes, who said it's incredibly uncommon for a high school-aged student to be admitted into the school. "I'd say it's not the norm. We are very happy to have."
Thunder is not just a fantastic drummer, he also plays guitar, keyboard and bass. A multi-talented musician with big dreams.
So what's next for Thunder?
"The degree that I'm taking is in film scoring. Maybe for like a Disney film," said Thunder.