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Oliver Simpson

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Oliver Simpson is an eighteen-year-old British-Cypriot cellist living in the UK.  He was delighted to be selected as an LPO Junior Artist  2021/22 and had the most wonderful year with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, particularly his experience as soloist, guest principal and guest co-principal at the Royal Festival Hall.

Ollie recently performed Elgar's moving Cello Concerto with Newbury Symphony Orchestra and Reading Symphony Orchestra, Shostakovich's virtuosic 1st Cello Concerto with Windsor & Maidenhead Symphony Orchestra, Saint-Saëns' dramatic 1st Cello Concerto with the Abingdon & District Symphony Orchestra, the fantastic cello showpiece Dvořák Rondo with St. John's Orchestra, and Haydn's Cello Concerto in C as soloist with the Berkshire Camerata to a capacity audience at the Windsor Festival.

Oliver has been the winner of several competitions, most recently the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra’s Senior Concerto Competition 2022, where he performed Elgar’s Cello Concerto with Oxfordshire County Youth Orchestra in a wonderful final at St John the Evangelist Church in Oxford. Ollie very much enjoyed performing Haydn's Cello Concerto in C with the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra in their 2022/23 season. Take a look at his youtube channel - @OllieCello.

Oliver is also very excited to have won the title of Gregynog Young Musician of the Year 2021. The competition took place at the beautiful Gregynog Hall in Wales with Ollie being selected as Gregynog Young String Player of the Year after the day of semi-final performances and winning the overall title after competing in the evening's final.

Oliver’s other notable music awards are first prize winner of the 2021 International Music Competition "London" Grand Prize Virtuoso, Berkshire Young Musician of the Year 2021, winner of the Abingdon Music Festival Concerto Competition 2021, winner of the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra’s Junior Concerto Competition 2021, Reading Symphony Orchestra Young Musician of the Year 2019, the Rohan de Saram Cup from the Oxford Music Festival 2019, and from the Woodley Festival the Maxwell Trophy 2019, the John Callan Trophy 2019 & 2018, and the Durant Cup 2018. 


He has been the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships including a Leverhulme Scholarship. Ollie also won the South of England Regional Final of the Rotary Young Musician of the Year 2019 competition and competed in the National Final where he was awarded the Runner-Up prize.

He has participated in masterclasses with Callum Smart, Guy Johnston, Rebecca Gilliver, Richard May, Philip Higham, Robert Max and Jess Gillam.

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Ollie made his concerto debut as soloist with orchestra aged 14 performing Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, with subsequent performances with orchestra of Vivaldi’s Double Cello Concerto and Frescobaldi/Cassadó’s Toccata in the same year. He has upcoming solo performances with orchestra the Schumann Cello Concerto, Haydn Cello Concerto in C, Dvořák Cello Concerto and Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations, and solo recitals at the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford and The Tabernacle, Machynlleth.

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Selected recent recitals include the Elgar Room Royal Albert Hall, Milton Court Concert Hall Barbican, University Church of St. Mary the Virgin Oxford, The Old Court Windsor, Gregynog Hall Wales, Maidenhead Music Society and in Norden Farm Centre for the Arts' Summer Recital Series - Significantly Beethoven.

Notable performances include playing as soloist and principal cellist of the Nicola Benedetti Orchestra in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank, performing in the string quartet accompanying Jess Gillam playing Marcello’s Oboe Concerto and Milhaud’s Braziliera at AYM's 20th Anniversary Concert at Wilton’s Music Hall, the Mendelssohn Octet & Brahms Saint Anthony Variations arranged for string quartet at Guy Johnston’s Hatfield House Chamber Music Festival, a performance of Haydn’s Cello Concerto at the Stone House London, performing as guest soloist with the Highclere Quartet playing Boccherini Quintets G310 (Op.28 no.4), ‘Rondeau’ & G324 (Op.30 no.6), 'Notturna delle Strade di Madrid', the Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (solo cellist as part of the Quartet), in the Oxford Concerto Orchestra’s 50th Anniversary Concert, and performing Handel’s Sonata for 2 Cellos at Handel House, London.


Ollie also has a great love of singing, currently singing tenor in the Rodolfus Choir. He was a chorister for the Queen at Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace for five years and played the role of Second Boy in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (Magic Flute) at the Royal Opera House, 2017/2018 season. 


Ollie is deeply passionate about communicating through his cello his love and enjoyment of the music in every performance.

Oliver is honoured to be generously supported by Awards for Young MusiciansThe Wrightson Trust, the Drake Calleja Trust and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Copyright © 2023 Oliver Simpson