Meet Our Students: Tomi ’27, Diving Deeper

From Symphony Hall to the soccer field to the chemistry lab, Tomi ’27 seems to be everywhere at once, constantly immersed in one activity or another—but don’t mistake his breadth of involvement for a lack of deep, purposeful engagement. Drawn to Commonwealth by the idea of rigorous academics taught with joy, Tomi applies the same philosophy to his activities outside the classroom, tackling passions like music and sports with a discipline beyond his years but rooted in a genuine love of the work. Now the lead musician in his section of the Boston Youth Symphony and a soccer all-star, Tomi’s approach seems to be working for him. Keep reading to discover why.

Getting to Know You

What is bringing you joy right now? 

I just had a Chamber Music block, and that was a lot of fun. We're playing our Dvořák piano quintet, and it was great to practice with everyone. We’re working on little spots, but we sound good. 

What is your favorite book (or a book you’ve re-read)? 

Right now, I'm really interested in nonfiction biographies, especially ones about engineers. I'm reading this book about Adrian Newey, who's a really prominent engineer in Formula One. It’s a huge biography going through his whole life, and I find that really interesting. 

What are your favorite comfort foods?

Definitely Japanese street foods. I used to visit Japan every summer before COVID hit, and they have great food everywhere, but especially family-run franchises that make really warm, savory, and umami foods like ramen or takoyaki. They're really tasty.

What was/is your favorite class (at Commonwealth or elsewhere)? 

My favorite subject is science, particularly physics, which I haven't taken yet, but a close second is chemistry. I really like exploring the way that chemistry relates to the real world and how it can explain different phenomena, especially through experiments.

When do you feel the most enjoyably challenged?

Music can often be really frustrating because there are little spots that require hours and hours of practice to perfect. But there's joy in seeking perfection, and once you do maybe three or four hours on one small spot and you really cement the correct way of playing, that's really rewarding. And I really enjoy if I'm playing a concert or recital and get to that spot and nail it. 

What never fails to make you laugh?

I have a lot of good friends from middle school that I really cherish my relationships with, and I try to meet up with them many times a month despite how busy I am. We hang around Boston, and we always end up laughing about something. 

What are people most surprised to learn about you?

I have this unique skill that I've acquired through studying cars on the road my whole life where I can identify pretty much any car down to the make and model, sometimes a year and some other basic facts about the car. 

Pen or pencil? 

Pencil; I like the flexibility.

Coffee or tea?

It depends, because sometimes you need that extra caffeine from coffee, but overall I'll have to say tea because I like herbal flavors.

Fall, winter, spring, or summer?

Now that it doesn't snow as much in the winter, I'll have to go with spring, because it's a time of new beginnings, new growth. And there's a couple weeks in the spring where it's the perfect weather, seventy degrees.

Life as a Commonwealth Student (and Beyond)

What was your first impression of Commonwealth and how has it mapped to your experience? 

My first impression was when I was in sixth grade and my brother (Mirai ’24) was at Commonwealth. I heard stories from him about the unique way of learning that Commonwealth employs, really rigorous learning but also trying to make every subject as enjoyable as possible. And when it came time for me to go to high school, I already had my eyes set on Commonwealth because that unique approach to learning really resonated with me. 

Using metrics besides grades, how do you define “success” in your classes?

Success for me in my classes is understanding concepts so that I can comfortably apply them to problems that I may see in the future.

How do you spend your time outside of Commonwealth?

I love playing sports and playing music, so I often practice music one to three hours a day. And then I play sports, mainly soccer at Commonwealth. On the weekends, I try to meet up with friends or play with my dad or brother and kick a soccer ball around.

Can you tell us more about the role that music plays in your life?

I've been playing music since I was four, so almost twelve years now. I started on the violin and played until seventh grade, when I switched to the viola. Although the violin and viola look similar, they're actually really different instruments, and the deeper, warmer tone that the viola has I find really beautiful. So through eleven years of music experience, I've really built this relationship with classical music that can't be broken. 

I joined the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras in 2017, and now I've progressed to the highest orchestra, the Boston Youth Symphony. The experience of playing with 100 other musicians in a full size orchestra, with all the intricacies of each instrument playing the different parts that come together to make one cohesive piece, I find really beautiful. And, most importantly, the love that I have for music comes from the happiness that it brings other people; that's why I really enjoy playing solos, because I love seeing people smile during my concerts. 

When do you feel most connected to other students (or teachers/staff members) in our community?

That has to be Hancock. I think those experiences, like tenting and getting our stuff soaked and being cold, really brings you together! Same with the jobs, like cooking food and taking out the garbage, and just being in a remote area with both students and teachers.

How has your Commonwealth experience colored the way you look at the world? How you plan for your future? 

Commonwealth has opened up a path to relationships with both students and teachers that I hadn't really seen before. I have teachers that I can rely on, that I can ask questions of and meet with, and I want to continue having those relationships in the future with my professors in college and bosses at jobs. Commonwealth really built a strong foundation for that.

What’s your advice for prospective students considering Commonwealth? 

Commonwealth is a place where everyone loves to learn, so it's a great place if you're focused on academics and really intrigued by different concepts, whether it be STEM or arts or humanities. The homework and tests will come naturally. As long as you're engaged in classes and engaged with what you're learning, I think you can't really go wrong.

What is it like going to school in Boston?

I think it's great being in the heart of Boston and in such a historical neighborhood. It really familiarizes me with the city and allows me to find my way around better—taking the T, biking, walking around. I feel like I've gotten to know Boston better and like Boston better just because of the warmth and comfort that this neighborhood provides.

What would you tell your ninth-grade self?

In ninth grade, I was very focused on grades and doing well on my homework and tests, which is something that has certainly helped me in tenth grade. But ninth grade is also a time to experiment with different strategies and learning, because grades aren't kept for your final transcript. So maybe I’d tell myself to be a little more lenient with homework and tests and studying strategies.

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