MEET THE SOLOIST: Oliver Herbert, cello

Highlights:

• The 2021-22 season marks the beginning of several ambitious projects, including performances of the complete Bach Cello Suites at Capital Region Classical, and the complete Beethoven Cello Sonatas at Guarneri Hall in Chicago. Oliver will also be premiering a commissioned work by Chelsea Komschlies for multitrack cello and electronics, as well as exploring the music of Venezuelan composer and cellist Paul Desenne. 
• In June of 2020, Oliver released his debut album with pianist Xiaohui Yang, Frame of Mind: Fauré and Janáček, featuring the two cello and piano sonatas of Gabriel Fauré as well as Leoš Janáček’s Pohádka (Fairy Tale). Oliver's additional recording highlights include a release of Haydn's D Major Cello Concerto with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony. 
• As a chamber musician, Oliver has participated in leading music festivals including Caramoor, ChamberFest Cleveland, Krzyżowa Music, La Jolla Summerfest, Marlboro Music, Music in the Vineyards, Nevada Chamber Music Festival, Ravinia, and Verbier. In the 2021-22 season, Oliver joins violinist Alexi Kenney and pianist Eric Lu for a program of Haydn, Schumann, and Schubert at the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society.

Critical Praise:

• “Herbert’s playing took on deeply moving vocal inflections in extreme ranges, from a low of unusual richness to a delicate high.” The Philadelphia Inquirer
• "His virtuosity and musical instincts were on full display in Edward Elgar’s Cello ­Concerto in E Minor…Herbert displayed great maturity, always maintaining forward momentum while bringing out the unique character of each movement and its subsections…with an ­expansive tone, rich and full yet strikingly clear (especially in the upper register), his playing was ­punctuated by crisp articulation and impressive spiccato, particularly in the final Allegro. Judicious and tasteful use of vibrato allowed his incredible instrument (a 1769 Guadagnini) to project in its natural state." San Francisco Classical Voice
• “As a highly experienced prize-winning artist, ­Herbert brings a wonderful ­youthful ­exuberance to this work (Haydn D Major Concerto) coupled with a highly sophisticated musical expression and ­outstanding ­technique in this very challenging concerto. From his ­opening notes it was ­immediately apparent that Herbert has a very vocal approach to his playing and ­regardless of the technical demands he makes his cello sing..” Santa Cruz Sentinel