Oboist Engelbert Brenner performed in recital with legendary contralto Marian Anderson. Anderson’s voice was described as a rich, vibrant contralto of intrinsic beauty. As an African-American artist, her role in the Civil Rights movement was monumental. Her legendary performance at the Lincoln Memorial (after having been denied the venue of D.A.R. Constitution Hall) will be forever part of American History. Through her grace & talent, a blind American public was forced to see.
Anderson gave Brenner this autographed photo after one of their musical collaborations. He prized it, as do I now that the photo has been left in my care.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2011
Oboerista - thoughts from an oboist / coffeeist / dad 
I took lessons from Mr. Brenner many many years ago. I ended up joining the Army in 1981 and was an Oboist for the 389th Army Band, Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey. Unfortuneately, I do not play the oboe anymore. But I do have a record of the New York Philharmonic where he played that well known solo part of the William Tell Overture. He authographed that record and he signed his well know signature with the staff and scale with the notes e and b drawn on it and then he wrote “toots”.
I forgot to mention that at the time I took lessons from him, he lived in a three story house in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey.