Post-minimalist, infused with African-diasporic influences, and, at times, impressionistic, Des Oliver's music draws from a variety of genres and styles, and combines driving rhythms with vivid colours, often culminating in mesmerising and immersive musical landscapes.
Commissions include works for the Bach Choir and Faust Chamber Orchestra (Stone Records), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Rush for the Pegasus Opera Company (featured on Channel 4 News), and Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra. His Dionysian Rivers Flow Through Me was selected for the International Computer Music Conference in Daegu, South Korea. He has composed works for the soloist Clio Gould, All India Radio Artist Shruti Jauhari, and The Fusion Project’s Janan Sathiendran.
His music has been performed at the South Bank Centre, LSO St Luke’s, the Bridewell Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre, Oxford Playhouse, the Sheldonian Theatre, Holywell Music Room, Greenwich Theatre, and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.
Oliver studied composition at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with Robert Saxton and Simon Bainbridge. He won a scholarship at the Academy and studied with Steve Martland, holds a doctorate in composition at Worcester College, Oxford University, and is a Jerwood composer with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Oliver is a signed artist with Hennessey-Brown Music.