Thomas Muñoz was born in the lush and mountainous region of Boyacá, Colombia. Surrounded by family, Muñoz’s uncle Sebastian instilled in him a deep love for books, poetry and music. From hearing the first sounds of the tambor alegre, Muñoz knew he wanted to become a musician. Coming to the United States in 2022, Muñoz finally began his own musical path, taking up the cello at Roald Amundsen High School on Chicago’s North side. “The moment I first played the cello, I was reminded of that childhood dream,” says Muñoz. Practicing after school and at lunch, music became a small source of joy amongst feelings of homesickness and displacement. Only a year into musical study, Muñoz created an arrangement of Lucho Bermudez’ “Colombia, Tierra Querida” (Colombia, Beloved Land) for string orchestra, which was performed by his high school orchestra. Passionate about the cello and classical music, Muñoz strives to infuse his compositions with the rich musical traditions of Colombia.
Thomas Muñoz
