Oto Carrillo
Horn,
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Oto Carrillo was appointed to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra horn section by Daniel Barenboim in 2000.
A native of Guatemala, Carrillo received a bachelor of arts degree in music performance from DePaul University and a master’s degree in both music performance and musicology from Northwestern University. After graduating, he won positions with the Memphis and Cedar Rapids orchestras, and performed with the Civic Orchestra, coached by Dale Clevenger and other members of the Chicago Symphony. He also has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Metropolitana Orchestra of Lisbon, Portugal as well as Chicago based ensembles such as the Chicago Sinfonietta, Music of the Baroque, Chicago Philharmonic, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. In addition, Carrillo has played in various summer festivals with such orchestras as the National Repertory Orchestra; the National Orchestral Institute; the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra; the Grant Park Orchestra; the Mostly Mozart Festival in Woodstock, Illinois; and the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra. Prior to his appointment to the Chicago Symphony, Carrillo held positions in the South Bend and Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestras.
Carrillo has played with numerous chamber groups such as the Chicago Chamber Musicians and the Millar Brass Ensemble whose performances have been recorded on the Delos and Koss labels. He has also soloed with various Chicago area ensembles such as the Civic Orchestra and the DePaul University Ensemble 20+.
As a teacher, Carrillo has given many master classes at various institutions. Currently, he is on faculty at DePaul University and the Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific (SOAP), a unique summer training program for aspiring young orchestral musicians set in British Columbia.
Outside of playing, Carrillo enjoys drinking excellent craft beer, woodworking, sports of all types especially basketball, and the company of his wife Sarah, a free-lance trumpet player, and their two children, Lucas and Isabelle.
