Oliver Webber MA (Cantab) FHEA

Biography

Oliver Webber has been a pivotal figure in the UK historical performance scene since the 1990s. He has earned a reputation as a performer with the courage of his convictions, with a particular mission to enable the fruits of academic research to be heard on the concert platform.

Many years of research and experiment in the field of ornamentation culminated in the 2021 Resonus Classics release Con Arte e Maestria, celebrating the art of Italian virtuoso diminutions. The disc, supported by Guildhall’s Lightbulb Innovation Fund, was shortlisted for the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, and widely praised in the UK press:

"He has luminosity in abundance, and takes off into tender, singing, soulful rhapsody as easily as a bird to flight."
Gramophone, October 2021

"Webber and Devine apply their consummate technical skills and flawless musical instincts to bring this vital performance technique vividly back to life."
Early Music Review, November 2021

He is the artistic director of the Monteverdi String Band, which specialises in seventeenth-century repertoire; MSB’s programmes have been inspired by Oliver’s reading of Italian literature from the period, and often include other art forms such as poetry, acting, video projection and even historical fencing. His work with the ensemble has inspired a deeper study of the relationship between Italian poetic forms and rhythm in musical settings, which he brings to his historical singing classes at the School, in conjunction with his knowledge of ornamentation traditions.

He is a principal player and regular guest leader of many notable orchestras and ensembles, including Gabrieli, the London Handel Orchestra, the English Baroque Soloists, and the Taverner Players; he is also a member of a number of specialist chamber ensembles, such as the Gonzaga Band, the London Handel Players, Passacaglia and the Parley of Instruments.

Historical stringing has been another important strand in Oliver’s research; his contributions in this field, as researcher and stringmaker, have led to a complete rethinking of the approach of many orchestras and ensembles, both in the UK and internationally. The study and practice of historical bow-holds has also featured prominently: in preparation for Gabrieli’s award-winning Purcell opera recordings in 2019, Oliver led workshops on the topic for members of the orchestra.

In 2020 Oliver was appointed a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in recognition of his innovative and creative approaches to teaching.