Oliver Walker is a music educator, choral conductor and organist who has been privileged to make music around the world. Having served as Director of Music at Repton School (2016-2024) and Head of Choral music at Solihull School (2010-2016), he now enjoys a busy freelance portfolio that includes roles as Director of Music at Douai Abbey, Choirmaster at Bruern Abbey Schools, and Musical Director of Jubilate Chamber Choir (Oxford) and Solihull Choral Society.
Oliver studied Music as an Organ Scholar at Keble College, Oxford, and Choral Conducting at the University of Birmingham, where his mentors included Simon Halsey and Bob Chilcott. As an organist, he held positions at Wells, Gloucester, and Chelmsford Cathedrals, and it was in these establishments that his passion for choral music was first nurtured.
During his time at Repton School, Oliver was responsible for the strategic direction of one of the UK’s leading independent school music departments. There, and at Solihull School, he directed the prestigious Chapel Choirs in their ambitious programme of events including ten visits to St Paul’s Cathedral, successful tours around Europe (with highlights being Mass at St Peter’s Basilica, Palm Sunday liturgies at Leipzig’s Thomaskirche and a concert in Notre Dame), as well as dozens of BBC Radio ‘Daily Service’ and ‘Sunday Worship’ broadcasts. He has commissioned a wealth of composers including Jonathan Dove, Judith Bingham, Alexander L’Estrange and Ben Parry.
Other projects include a concert for peace and reconciliation in Seoul Anglican Cathedral, as well as preparing children’s choirs for concert tours with Gary Barlow, Bergen Festival’s 2013 performance of Britten’s War Requiem, and productions by Royal Shakespeare Company. A fierce advocate for the role of partnerships within music education, Oliver founded the choral outreach programme ‘Solihull Sings!’ in 2011, a project which subsequently engaged over 1500 primary school children in the joy of singing. In 2014 he was awarded a Civic Honours Award for his contribution to music making in Solihull.
Away from music, Oliver enjoys walking and cycling around Suffolk and Oxfordshire with his wife, Kate, and toddler, Albie.