Tommy Song
With Phelps stadium packed to the brim, Exonians draped in red erupt in cheer as senior Tommy Song sings and plays his guitar for hundreds of students, alumni and faculty alike during the famous E/a football game’s halftime show. Along with talent for performing, Song is involved with many groups on campus. He served as one of the managing editors of The Exonian and is the founder and editor-in-chief of “Forte” Magazine. In addition, Song is also one of the co-heads of the co-ed a cappella group PEADs and Exeter Association of Rock. He does all of this while balancing the responsibilities of being a proctor and dorm representative of Ewald.
Former proctor Michael Baldyga ’15 described Tommy’s talents, “I remember when he first arrived to Exeter, he enamored the entire dorm by playing and singing ‘Fix You.’ It was amazing. Tommy is also one of the best performers I have seen at Exeter. I remember when he brought the crowd to its feet at E/a, he said.”
Song has been surrounded by music his entire life. His mother played in an all-doctors band in Korea and his father has always loved listening to music. Naturally, the household was always filled with sounds. Song believes that he owes much of his musicality to his mother, who taught herself how to play the piano. “I really think I inherited my talent from her,” Song said. Due to this influence, Song picked up music in kindergarten. He learned how to play piano and later started playing the cello, which he pursued for a little over seven years.
"One day, I know I’ll tell people that I used to live with Tommy Song. I have no doubt that he will go far and excel in whatever he puts his mind to."
As a skilled musician, Song played in a string quartet and was named principal cellist of his middle school. However, similar his experience with piano, Song was not truly passionate about cello and decided to look for other ways to stay involved with music. “Sadly, I never really loved playing the cello and I genuinely believe that you need to love an instrument to get good at it and develop an intense fervor for music,” Song said.
Song’s passion for both music and the guitar came from his middle school teacher Mr. Bartlett. In the fall of his seventh grade year, Song saw his teacher perform and thought ‘I want to be able to play the guitar like him.’ Inspired by this new instrument, Song was hooked and practiced more than five hours a day. By the end of seventh grade Song had written his first song and formed in a rock band with close friends. “From then on, music became an inseparable part of my life. At this point in my life, songwriting, playing the guitar and singing are my sources of composure, stability, remedy and memories. I use music to remember—eternalize impermanent things like people and memories,” Song said.
Friend Ben Hogoboom ’15 said, “One thing I notice about Tommy that’s really exceptional is that he’s different from a lot of people who are really musically talented. Everyone at Exeter knows that Tommy can absolutely wail on a guitar and has an incredible voice, but he’s also an absolute joy to make music with.”
Annie Choi ’15 former co-head of PEADs ,who passed the position down to Song this past year, shared these sentiments. Choi spoke of many memories she spent with Song in the rock room and music library where the two would randomly perform jam sessions, and described Song at the “rock” in holding down the tenor section for PEADs.
This past summer, Song auditioned for a famous vocal training program to enhance his art. Not only did Song get into the program, but he was also asked to join an independent label based in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, called Juice Media. His vocal trainer happened to be one of the producers of Juice Media’s label, and after hearing some of Song’s original work, spoke to the label’s executive for a record deal. Song officially joined the label as their youngest artist and his first piece, “Masquerade,” will be released today on iTunes.
Choi praised what Song’s abilities bring to Exeter, “Overall, I think Tommy’s a ray of musical sunshine to Exeter’s campus and I’m really happy that my time at Exeter overlapped with his.”
However, Song has a lot more to his resume than just music. Hogoboom spoke of Song’s admirable work ethic off stage and in the classroom, saying, “When I was working with him in Chinese and on The Exonian, I felt like I could always rely on him to be on top of things, and I think that really makes the people around want to work harder too.”
Michael Golay, a long time teacher and former advisor for The Exonian, spoke highly of Song and his work in the classroom. He described him as a “very impressive history student,” that researches well and writes concisely with a good sense of timing. Song has had Golay as an instructor for three terms during his time at Exeter, taking HIS 331, a part of the required U.S. history series, along with Contemporary Middle East in the fall and a senior research seminar. Golay recalled speaking with Song from time to time after classes about The Exonian as both of them share roots in journalism on campus and enjoyed his work on the 137th board. “I’ve known Tommy for two years now and it’s kind of this time of year that always causes me to reflect on the people that are going to be leaving. People that have been big parts of your life for a couple of years and suddenly they go and it’s not anything I’ve ever gotten used to. I’m going to miss Tommy, I’m going to miss having him in class and I think the history department will miss him too. He’s taken a lot of history courses and he’s been a big part of our work for his time here,” Golay said.
Senior Rex Tercek, who worked alongside Song as a news editor of The Exonian, said, “Tommy has made my time at Exeter special. There are some people in life who, when you see them, you inexplicably are in a better mood. Tommy is one of those people. Every time I see him in grill, or pass him in the path, my day changes for the better.”
Song was first introduced to journalism through a senior in his dorm during his first term at Exeter. The senior, Victor Wang ’14, was editor-in-chief of The Exonian at the time and convinced Song to try writing as he learned that it was one of Song’s many interests. It was through his first article covering that year’s Academy Life Day that got Song hooked.
Song acknowledged that the newspaper required both devotion and a significant time commitment solely to writing, “But nearly three years ago, my editors and fellow writers presented to me everything about journalism that I love now: its ability to reveal the genuine and its capacity to inform and inspire through its authenticity,” Song said.
Senior classmate and friend Julia Bornemann said, “[Tommy] cares so deeply for everybody in his life and walking with him can be an experience itself because of all the people he greets and conversations he strikes up. He is a true Renaissance man who is also the kindest, most compassionate ever.”
Another senior and close friend of Song’s, Rebecca Ju, reiterated the impact that Song has made on those around him. “I know this community will miss him as well—he’s been such an incredible presence on this campus, performing at EPs, pep rallies and everything in between. I will miss him more than I can say next year, she said.”
Song expressed that without a doubt he will miss the people here the most. He spoke of his gratitude for the many memorable moments he has shared with Exonians and the lessons he’s taken away from his relationships. “Exeter offers a variety of special things, but I believe Exeter’s biggest asset is absolutely the people. I’ve made my best friends here and I would not trade them for anything,” Song said.
Baldyga said, “One day, I know I’ll tell people that I used to live with Tommy Song. I have no doubt that he will go far and excel in whatever he puts his mind to.”