Oliver Walker is a music educator, choral conductor and organist that is privileged to have made music around the world. Having recently completed eight years as Director of Music at Repton School (Derbyshire), he is now studying for a Masters Degree in Choral Conducting at the University of Birmingham while working as Choirmaster at Bruern Abbey Schools, Music Director of the Solihull Choral Society and Project Manager for the Royal School of Church Music. Oliver studied Music at Keble College, Oxford, where he was also an Organ Scholar, and has also held positions at Wells, Gloucester and Chelmsford Cathedrals.
At Repton, Oliver was responsible for the strategic direction of one of the UK’s leading independent school music departments, working with an outstanding team to deliver a vibrant programme of music. There, and in his previous role as Head of Choral Music at Solihull School, he directed the prestigious Chapel Choirs in their ambitious programme of events including ten visits to St Paul’s Cathedral, successful tours around Europe (with highlights being Mass at St Peter’s Basilica, Palm Sunday liturgies at Leipzig’s Thomaskirche and a concert in Notre Dame), as well as dozens of BBC Radio ‘Daily Service’ and ‘Sunday Worship’ broadcasts. He has commissioned a wealth of composers including Jonathan Dove, Judith Bingham, Alexander L’Estrange and Ben Parry.
Other projects include a concert for peace and reconciliation in Seoul Anglican Cathedral, preparing children’s choirs for Bergen Festival’s performance of Britten’s War Requiem, concert tours with Gary Barlow and productions by Royal Shakespeare Company. Oliver worked for many years on the Eton Choral Courses (now The Choral Courses), based in schools throughout the UK and in YK Pao School, Shanghai. A fierce advocate for the role of partnerships within music education, Oliver founded the choral outreach programme ‘Solihull Sings!’ in 2011, which has since impacted on over 1500 children. He was subsequently awarded a Civic Honours Award for his contribution to music making in Solihull.
As Music Director of the thriving Solihull Choral Society, Oliver has directed a broad range of repertoire including Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and St John Passion, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Britten’s ‘St Nicolas’ and Elgar’s Music Makers. Through SCS he enjoys a fruitful relationship with Sinfonia of Birmingham, with whom he has directed a broad range of orchestral repertoire.
When not in The Midlands, Oliver enjoys walking around Suffolk and Oxfordshire with his wife, Kate, and toddler, Albie.