Welcome to the Cobb Symphony Orchestra (CSO)

Bob Bonstein was born and raised in New Jersey (Exit 15), where he grew up in a large family listening to the Beatles, toying with the clarinet, playing Little League baseball, reading vociferously and hoping to meet Mickey Mantle one day. As a teenager, this Jersey boy was blessed with a enlightening two-year sojourn in Sweden, where he went to school with kids from sixty countries, traveled all over Europe and expanded his horizons immeasurably. He learned how to ski in Norway, swim in the frigid Baltic Sea, and say “fuggetaboutit” in Swedish.

He met the love of his life, Linda, during freshman year in college when he was unable to see the blackboard in Biology class, and needed to copy Linda’s notes. Bob eventually got glasses, and he and Linda married. They went to work, bought a 175-year-old fixer-upper is a rural village, and had a family of three wonderful children. They restored the house to national historical register condition, and began raising their family while working full-time and going to graduate school (do not try this at home). Bob then promptly lost his hair.

Bob had long career in health care information technology and operations consulting, where he worked as a partner for KPMG and another specialty firm. Nearly 20 years ago, he was asked to transfer to Atlanta, Georgia, to build a new practice in the Southeast. So he and Linda came here, laid down roots, and raised their three wonderful children. Upon graduating from college, all three left to start careers in New York City, where mom and dad are glad to visit often.

So, like many of their friends, mom and dad are in the empty-nest stage of life which they share with their lovable mutt, Savannah. Bob runs his own consulting business and is an active volunteer. Bob and Linda travel relentlessly. And some things never change: Bob toys with the clarinet, listens to the Beatles – but on his iPod now, sings in choirs, reads vociferously and watches the Braves play baseball. Oh…and Bob serendipitously encountered Mickey Mantle in 1995 at the OK Café in Buckhead, where he was able to make eye contact, shake a once mighty hand and say hello about six months before Mickey passed away.

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