Tom Otto was born in Milwaukee, WI and began studying the trombone at age 11. Tom actually began his musical studies on the cello at age 6, but decided to focus on trombone during his undergraduate studies at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, WI.

In 2002, Tom received his BA degree from Wisconsin Lutheran College in Trombone Performance while studying with Donald Haack of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. During these studies, arranging pieces for wind and brass ensembles became a great interest. Tom received his Masters of Music from New England Conservatory while studying with Ronald Barron and  is currently an active freelance player on the east coast.  Tom was a Tanglewood fellow in 2004 and has also held engagements with the New World Symphony.

Apart from performing in New England Tom has played with the Boston Pops under John Williams and Keith Lockhart, is principal trombonist of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra and plays with the Albany, Rhode Island, Nashua, and Hingham Symphony Orchestras. Tom has played under such conductors as Kurt Masur, Seiji Ozawa, Robert Spano, James DePreist, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Ingo Metzmacher, and Michael Tilson Thomas.