Aubree Oliverson performs in the Karlskirche in Vienna. (Courtesy Stephen Oliverson)
One of the best young violinists in the world, who grew up in Orem, brought her skills to one of the world’s most renowned venues for classical music in Austria.
The concert took place in Karlskirche Karlskirche with the Cappella Istropolitana, the Bratislava Chamber Orchestra, where Aubree Oliverson performed Joseph Haydn’s “Violin Concerto No. 1 in C major” with its original cadenzas.
Her father Steve, who served as an administrator in the Provo School District for 30 years, is a classical pianist and together they founded Moon Light, which has attracted a sizable local following.
Aubree is the oldest of three children and as their younger siblings Andrew and Lily got older they played the viola and violin.
Aubree Oliverson attended Timpanogos High School briefly, but her talents were so great that she left Utah at age 15 to attend the prestigious Colburn Academy in Los Angeles. Similar to the legendary Juilliard School in New York City, the Colburn Academy attracts top international talent.
For Aubree Oliverson, the decision to leave Utah and her family was actually an easy one.
“For me it was just pure excitement and there was no hesitation,” said Aubree Oliverson. “I’ve always wanted to travel and chase my dreams.”
It was definitely a little harder for Steve to come to terms with, but he felt it was necessary to nurture her talents.
“It was difficult to send her away, but we (as her parents) knew what she needed. We couldn’t act selfish and let them stay in Utah, ”said Steve Oliverson. “We knew becoming a soloist was her dream and she had to try and moving to Colburn (Academy) gave her the best opportunity.”
A crucial moment in Aubree’s life was the chance to perform with the Utah Symphony Orchestra at the age of 11.
“I think after this opportunity I had the dream of becoming a soloist. And I’m happy that I knew what I wanted to be at such a young age, ”added Aubree.
Last summer she was a guest soloist on the Utah Symphony’s Forever Mighty Tour of Utah, which ran from Cache Valley to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.
But Oliverson’s talents, as the recent engagement in Austria shows, have taken her around the world, including stations in China, Japan, Mexico and all of Europe. She has also participated in prestigious music festivals and won the Special Prize of Merit at the Verbier Musical Festival in Switzerland and the Delay Fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival.
Despite being only 23 years old, Aubree has given Oliverson her share of masterclasses, has been invited to work with top musicians, and perform with some of the world’s most famous conductors.
So far in her career and life she has worked with Stefan Jackiw and Robert McDuffie at Harris Hall at the Aspen Music Festival and School; Lynn Harrell, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Orli Shaham, Andrew Marriner and Clive Greensmith as part of the Colburn Chamber Music Society in Los Angeles; and Gil Shaham on a tour of Mexico.
Aubree Oliverson has performed pretty much every recognizable classical piece from the legends of classical music, including Bach, Beethoven, Handel, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Vivaldi. But what makes her even more remarkable is her own talent as a composer. Moon Light has produced a number of CDs of original compositions including “A View From the Edge”, “Dance of the Fireflies” and “Along the Silver Way”.
For now, however, Aubree will focus on her solo career. After playing in Vienna, she returned to Southern California for several appearances.
“I just want to travel the world and play,” said Aubree Oliverson. Now, years away from childhood in Utah County, she is at the epicenter of classical music in Vienna. “I want to take every opportunity that presents itself to me.”
She will perform at the Scera Center for the Arts in Orem with her father Steve and sister Lily (her brother Andrew is a missionary for Latter-day Saints Church of Jesus Christ) on Wednesday December 22nd. The Timpanogos High School Chamber Singers will also perform at the concert entitled “Aubree Oliverson and Friends”.
“I always love coming back to Utah to perform,” said Aubree.
More information about Aubree Oliverson and her musical family can be found at http://aubreeoliverson.com and http://moonlightperformers.bandcamp.com.
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