By LILY TINOCO | Reporter
Lifelong Palisadian Billy Tobenkin started playing cello at the unusual age of 25.
Now, Tobenkin wants to use his experience picking up the cello later in life to remind the community that it’s never too late to start a musical instrument or pursue their own passions.
Tobenkin earned his bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing from Cornell University, where his fondness for modernist literature sparked an interest in classical music. With no musical training or prior musical experience, Tobenkin decided to explore the genre through the cello.
“Initially I just wanted to understand music better, but a month into learning how to play the cello, I was completely obsessed,” Tobenkin said to the Palisadian-Post.
Lessons later, the Riviera resident decided to pursue a subsequent Bachelor of Music in cello performance from California State University, Northridge.
He continued taking lessons and seeking teachers who were sympathetic to the fact that he was older than a traditional student.
He has had the opportunity to learn from some of the best teachers in the nation, including Ronald Leonard, the former principal cellist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, who saw his desire to improve.
“I was told by multiple people that since I was starting at 25, I could never become a professional player,” Tobenkin shared. “The general consensus is that to reach a certain level of proficiency, one must start learning the instrument from a very young age. When I was told this, it only motivated me to prove these people wrong.”
Now Tobenkin specializes in teaching adult-learners and sharing the strategies he developed over the course of his adult musical journey. He teaches students out of his studio in the Palisades and online via Skype, and offers in-home lessons for students in West LA.
In 2016, he co-founded Cattus Quartet, a premier string quartet for weddings and events, with his wife, Lydia Yun. “Cattus” means “cat” in Latin, and this group of animal lovers donates a portion of all their proceeds to animal organizations.
The quartet has performed at high-profile weddings, events for multinational corporations and more. But Tobenkin’s favorite performances with the group hit closer to home.
“We put on seasonal concerts for neighbors and family and friends at my house, I’d say some of those concerts have been my favorite, most meaningful concerts,” Tobenkin said. “It’s a wonderful atmosphere, I love playing with friends.”
Because of his experience, Tobenkin hopes to remind others that it’s never too late.
“I think that one of the greatest limiting factors for any kind of adult-learner is his or her own self image—we put limitations on ourselves and what’s possible,” Tobenkin said. “I would be thrilled if people learning about my story with the cello inspired them to follow their passions as well.”
Tobenkin looks forward to putting on more concerts with his friends and hopes to bring concerts to the Palisades in the future.
“We are planning to begin looking for other venues in the Palisades so that we can grow the size of our concert audience and interact more with this wonderful community that we love.”
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