Biography
Bassoonist Olivia Palmer-Baker has performed both nationally and internationally as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician. A versatile musician, she is dedicated to exploring and performing music across many genres, and has already made significant performances in the fields of contemporary music, historically informed music, and classical music.
Olivia performs frequently as a soloist: Significant performances include a solo recital at the Festival Internacional de Santander (2019), numerous solo performances as a Featured Young Artist of the Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble (2017-18), and winning the Royal Academy of Music Florence Woodbridge Bassoon Prize (2018). She has been invited to perform as part of a recital series of the Olyver New Music Collective, where she will premiere a new solo work written for her by Matthew Olyver (2020), as well as perform in a duo recital in their 2019/20 season. She is also due to record a CD of new works with the Echo Ensemble, including the piece ‘Flyrt’, a new bassoon concerto written for her by Noah Max (2020). She has performed a soloist in masterclasses to Dag Jensen, Emily Hultmark, Julie Price, Jonathan Davies, Marco Lugaresi and Lorelei Dowling.
Olivia also performs as an orchestral musician with internationally recognised ensembles in prestigious locations. Highlights include performing in the Lucerne Festival side-by-side with the London Symphony Orchestra as a member of the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra (2018); residencies at the Aldeburgh Festival, Royaumont, and at ManiFeste 2019 alongside Ensemble InterContemporain as a member of the Ulysses Ensemble (2019); performing on baroque bassoon to record Bach’s St Matthew’s Passion with the Academy of Ancient Music and the Choir of Kings College, Cambridge (2019); and touring with Camerata Ireland to perform the Beethoven piano concerti with Barry Douglas at the NCPA Mumbai (2018). She has performed in other venues including the Berlin Philharmonie, Elbphilharmonie, Royal Albert Hall, Paris Philharmonie and Snape Maltings, and has worked with conductors such as Simon Rattle, Matthias Pintscher, Gergely Madaras, Laurence Cummings and Ed Gardner.
Olivia also performs as a chamber musician as a founder member of the recently established Vóreios Trio and is a founder member of PRISM, an exciting new music group due soon to be launched.
Outside of performance, Olivia enjoys teaching her wonderful bassoon and piano students, and has worked with London Music Masters, HMDT Music Box, and the National Orchestra for All to break down barriers and ensure that great musical experiences are possible for everyone.
Olivia is currently in her fourth year of undergraduate study at the Royal Academy of Music, studying bassoon with Amy Harman and John Orford, contrabassoon with Fraser Gordon, and baroque bassoon with Andy Watts. She is grateful to be supported by the Winifred Agnes Disney Award, and by Talent Unlimited.
