Michael Oliva

Michael Oliva (born 18 April 1966) is a British composer of contemporary classical music, working mainly in electroacoustics and opera. Early life Oliva was born in Edmonton, north London to a German mother and an Italian father. From early childhood, his mother regularly took him to the English National Opera. He attended The Latymer School, a local mixed grammar school known for musical excellence. Although Oliva had already begun composing at the age of 15, he studied biochemistry (specialising in neurochemistry ) at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. After obtaining his degree in 1988, he decided to concentrate on music. Musical career After university, in addition to concert works, Oliva began composing music for theatre. During the 1990s, he worked closely with Erica Whyman at Southwark Playhouse, the Gate Theatre and English Touring Theatre. In 1995, he co-founded the Mother Digital Studio in Shoreditch, east London. He began working at the Royal College of Music in 1998, where he is now Area Leader for Electroacoustic Music teaching composition with electronics. Each term, Oliva curates and directs ‘From the Soundhouse’, public concerts of electroacoustic music (the title is taken