Bennie Cottone, OboeBirthplace: San Mateo, CA
Grew up: San Francisco, CA
Started playing: Back when SF public schools all had a music teacher, my best friends’ parents were the teachers. Bob Martens started me on the clarinet in the fifth grade. When I arrived at Lowell High in 1969 I learned that the orchestra would be going to Japan the next year. They needed another oboe, not another clarinet. So I took an oboe home, got a teacher, and left the clarinet forever.
Education: Lowell High & SF State. And some big-name teachers. But REALLY, making millions of mistakes in life and somehow recovering and continuing to better myself, THAT’s the education.
Began with SRS: I began with the SRSO around 1980. Huh? Yes. I began one concert before the move to Luther Burbank (WFC). I remained as English Horn/second oboe for about 10 years. When I won the Principal Oboe position in the Monterey Symphony, scheduling difficulties led me to resign from the SRSO. To actually audition my way back in thirty years after I first played here is unheard-of and brings me immense pride.
Non-SRS Groups: Principal Oboe, Monterey Symphony; Principal Oboe , Santa Cruz Symphony, English Horn, The Berkeley Symphony---member since 1978; first-call English Horn sub, The SF Ballet Orchestra, sub work with; SF Symphony, Silicon Valley Symphony & Ballet, California Symphony, Oakland East Bay Symphony, Reno, Fresno, Sacramento and on and on. Tons of ballet and pit work---SF, SJ/Cleveland, Mark Morris, Stuttgart Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, the Shorenstein Theaters, ABT, Joffrey , and others.
Favorite music: I never answer “favorite” questions. What do you think this is?, a dating site?
In my iPod: I’m just not one of those people who walks around plugged in all the time.
Hobbies: Oboe players, when working, have little time for annoying little things like pleasurable activities. I do love to eat, and from that to prepare meals. THAT is a little pleasure which not even the oboe can deprive me of. I do live with a dachshund. Those of you also doing so will know exactly what I mean.
Email: bcsfeh@comcast.net Koko the Dachshund; kokosf@comcast.net
Teaching info: I prefer to leave teaching to those who truly have the talent and love for it. I’m still trying to figure it all out.