Professional Bio
Boston Globe : Nino Rota is best known in America for his “Godfather” and Fellini film scores, and Thursday marked his work’s first appearance on a BSO program, with principal trombone Toby Oft playing his galloping, adventurous trombone concerto. The piece’s structure evokes a journey down a road of trials, and Oft’s lonesome, mellow solos stood as an intimate contrast to the sweeping orchestral texture.
Toby Oft is the 12th Principal Trombone of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and was appointed in 2008. Currently in his 10th season in the BSO, he has held Principal Trombone positions with San Diego Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and Sarasota Orchestra.
With a tone described as “ringing and golden” by the Boston Globe, Toby Oft has performed both as a soloist and chamber musician in Jordan Hall as part of the Boston Symphony’s Chamber Player series. He made his solo debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra subscription concerts performing the Rota, Trombone Concerto in 2017 to critical acclaim. International concerto performance highlights include acclaimed performances of works such as the T-Bone Concerto by Johan de Meij and the David, Concertino for Trombone with a diverse variety of ensembles on several continents.
Mr. Oft’s domestic solo performances range from Schuller’s modern virtuosic work, Eine Kleine Posaunenmusik with “Pershing’s Own” U.S. Army Band in Washington D.C., to the rarely performed Leopold Mozart Serenade in D for trumpet, alto trombone, and orchestra, with the Boston Classical Orchestra.
With a deep commitment to education, Mr. Oft has presented masterclasses and recitals around the world. At home in Boston, he is on faculty at the New England Conservatory and Boston University. During the Summer, Toby Oft coaches the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center and is a frequent guest teacher and performer at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.
In addition to prominent military band and teaching positions, Mr. Oft’s students have won tenured positions in top orchestras such as Detroit, Jacksonville, Nashville, Toronto, and Puerto Rico. Recent students have also been accepted to distinguished festivals such as Verbier Festival, Lucerne, and the Tanglewood Music Center. He has produced very successful music educators, with several of his students already at prominent teaching positions at Bowling Green University and University of Virginia. Mr. Oft has coached his students to successful solo careers with the prestigious Astral Artists management.
As an Edwards Instruments performing artist, Mr. Oft helped design the new T350-HB tenor trombone model (available for immediate purchase here) and has his own exclusive line of tenor and alto trombone mouthpieces with the Griego Mouthpiece company.
In spring 2014 Toby Oft released his debut album, titled “First Look”. As part of the lineage of the great Joannes Rochut, former Principal Trombone of the BSO, he is currently recording all the Rochut Etudes in HD video for students worldwide.
