Oliver Webber
An eclectic, international education laid the foundations for Oliver Webber’s adventurous approach to historical performance. His scientific studies and passion for historical Italian literature and language have inspired programming for his ensemble, Monteverdi String Band: recent performances have included poetry, sword-fighting and a specially commissioned play on the life of Galileo.
Outside MSB, Oliver also enjoys making chamber music with the London Handel Players and Passacaglia, and can often be seen and heard working as principal and guest leader with Gabrieli, the London Handel Orchestra, Early Opera Company, and the English Baroque Soloists.
He makes his own gut strings, and his research on this topic has influenced many orchestras and ensembles both in the UK and internationally. Connecting the worlds of scholarship and performance is a passion for Oliver, and he has been active in exploring many aspects of performance practice, including instrument- and bow-holds, intonation systems, and ornamentation. He teaches baroque violin and viola at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and has given guest lectures and workshops throughout Europe.
Oliver lives in London with his wife and two sons, although they spend as much time as possible in the mountains of Liguria, where he also teaches on Deborah Roberts’ Triora Musica 17th-century opera courses, which combine detailed study of recitative and ornamentation with pizza and prosecco.