It's your BSO. Exclusive interview with Toby Oft, Principal Trombone

It's Your BSO. Exclusive interview with Toby Oft, Principal Trombone Toby Oft joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as principal trombone at the start of the 2008-09 season. The son of music educators, he was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He started playing trombone with his father Michael Oft at age six. and began study with such notable teachers as Warren Baker, Jeff Uusitalo, and Peter Ellefson when he reached high school. His inspiration in high school was jazz trombone, but when he began college he shifted focus to classical trombone and orchestral study. He holds a bachelor of music degree from Indiana University and a master of music from Northwestern University. Moving to Evanston, Illinois, for his graduate work he maintained a successful freelance career in the greater Chicago area until he won his first full time job in Sarasota, Florida, as principal trombone of the Florida West Coast Symphony, under the direction of Leif Bjaland, in September 2002.