Dakota Cotugno

Dakota Cotugno began his study of cello at the age of 12 and has loved it ever since. A native of Colorado, he grew up in the Longmont area attending many Colorado Symphony concerts and joined the Colorado Symphony as a tenured member in the 23/24 season.

He earned his Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from the University of Colorado Boulder studying under David Requiro, and later received dual Master’s degrees in Cello Performance and Chamber Music along with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan studying with Richard Aaron. During his DMA, Dakota transcribed many works for the cello, including string arrangements of orchestral excerpts for cello and violin to be published in 2025/26.

Mr. Cotugno was awarded the silver medal in the 2019 Irving M. Klein International String Competition, in which he also garnered the Pablo Casals Prize for Best Performance of Bach. He was also the first place winner of the concerto competition at CU Boulder as a sophomore performing the Elgar Cello Concerto with the University Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with the Detroit Symphony, the Ann Arbor Symphony, the Colorado Music Festival, and was an orchestral fellow and principal cellist of the Aspen Festival Orchestra.

A passionate teacher, Mr. Cotugno has enjoyed working with dozens of cellists of all ages, from 7 to 76. A number of his students have been named principal cello of the District Honors Orchestra, and have participated in the Colorado All-state and Western States Orchestra. His private students have been accepted with scholarships to schools such as the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the New England Conservatory of Music.

Outside of music, Dakota loves to cook, read, is an avid gamer, and a very amateur golfer trying to hit par.