He is a conductor and choirmaster who grew up in Janesville, Wisconsin. He started to learn the piano when he was seven years old and quickly moved to the organ which allowed him to play the morning mass for nuns who resided locally. It was around then he also started singing.
Pursuing his interest in music he was a student at Tanglewood in 1963 and 1964 and also a student and assistant at the New England Conservatory.
He made his first recording with the Boston Symphony Orchestra after he had said that he could get a boy choir together in a week after a chance phone-call, and the next thing he knew they were recording Alban Berg’s Wozzeck. The next year he did the same again and this time the boy choir he had put together performed Mahler’s Third Symphony on a recording.
After gaining his degree in Choral Conducting in 1967 he was given the position of Choral and Music Program Assistant under Erich Leinsdorf, who was the Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and at the same time conducted the Framingham Choral Society.
A couple of years later in 1970, he was given the task of creating a permanent chorus to accompany the BSO and thus the Tanglewood Festival Chorus was born. Since that time he has been their sole conductor and prepared countless performances that have been staged with the BSO and the Boston Pops Orchestra. He has also accompanied them on several international tours and on numerous recordings.
in 1977 he branched out and created his John Oliver Chorale, which was active until 1996 saw it disbanding and he was also the conductor of the MIT Concert Choir and Chamber Chorus.
In the 2000s he continues to conduct after more than 40 successful years with his Tanglewood Festival Chorus.
Boston Pops recordings
A Christmas Festival (Leroy Anderson)
Adeste Fidelis (O Come All Ye Faithful) (John Francis Wade)
Philips 416 287 – 2 (CD: We Wish You a Merry Christmas)
Conductor – John Williams
Choir – Tanglewood Festival Chorus
Choirmaster – John Oliver
Sony SK 48232 (CD: Joy to the World)
Conductor – John Williams
Choir – Tanglewood Festival Chorus
Choirmaster – John Oliver
Sources:
- http://www.bostonsingersresource.com/johnoliver.asp
- http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pops/background/bios/tanglewood.html
- http://uk.real.com/music/artist/John_Oliver_Chorale/
- http://www.newenglandconservatory.edu/alumni/alumni_profiles/profiles/oliver.htm
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0pfoxqe0ldje~T4