Biography

Violinist and composer Sarn Oliver has performed as soloist, chamber musician, and recitalist throughout the US, Russia, Europe, and Japan. He has recorded violin concertos with Montpellier Chamber Orchestra in France as well as numerous CDs in the US. His performances have been broadcast in New York, Sacramento, Hawaii, and Japan. Before joining the SFS in 1995, he was concertmaster of the Santa Cruz Symphony and principal second violin of the Sacramento Symphony. An avid chamber musician, Mr. Oliver founded the Tilden Trio with cellist Peter Wyrick and pianist June Oh and created Tangled Duo with San Francisco Symphony violinist Mariko Smiley. He has performed with the Craftsbury Chamber Players, Elko Chamber players, Ebb and Flow Arts in Maui, and has been active in supporting arts organizations by donating performances to such organizations as the Open String and Música Marin. Mr. Oliver created the record label SarnWorks to promote contemporary classical music as well as chamber music and has produced, engineered, and performed on numerous CDs produced by SarnWorks. In the Bay Area, he often performs with his symphony colleagues on the SFS chamber music series, Chamber Music Sundaes, and at UCSF’s Cole Hall. An active composer, Mr. Oliver’s works have been performed in the United States, Japan, and Russia; a new commission for a solo piano work will be performed in Seoul, Korea. Mr. Oliver began his violin studies with Elmar Olivera and Ron Neal. He went on to receive his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Juilliard School where his teachers included Sally Thomas, Ivan Galamian, Felix Galimir, and others. He taught at the Juilliard Pre-College and at Meadowmount as an assistant to Sally Thomas as well as instructing violin at UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UOP Stockton, and privately. Mr. Oliver is also an active painter as well as a violin and bow maker. 

(September 2018)