Biography

Olivia Gandee grew up in Manchester and studied at Chetham’s School of Music, initially as a chorister at Manchester Cathedral, and later moving to the French Horn. She went on to study at the Royal College of Music in London in 2018. During her time at the RCM she took part in an Erasmus exchange to the Mozarteum Universität in Salzburg to study with renowned international soloist Radovan Vlatković. At the RCM, in July 2022, she was awarded a Bachelor of Music first-class degree, and in July 2023 she achieved a distinction in her Master of Music degree. Olivia is highly grateful of the generous support of both an ABRSM scholarship in her undergraduate degree, and for the Trustees of the Victor and Lilian Hochhauser Foundation during her masters. During the course of her education, Olivia has had the pleasure of learning from teachers Lizzie Davies, Julian Plummer, Tom Redmond, Simon Rayner, Kira Doherty, Tim Jones and Nigel Black, all of whom have been invaluable in her musical development.

Olivia is pursuing a career as an orchestral musician, and has recently been playing as Guest Principal Horn in the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, orchestra of Opera North, and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. She also plays regularly with the London Symphony Orchestra, and has toured with them to places such as the USA, Japan, South Korea, and Australia with Sir Simon Rattle. She has additionally played as Guest Principal Horn in orchestras such as the LSO, London Philharmonic Orchestra and Philharmonia Orchestra. Olivia also has a keen interest in chamber music, and has played with the London Sinfonietta as Guest Principal Horn, and in Philharmonia and LSO chamber performances. Her most recent chamber performances have been at the Islington Festival, the Roman River music festival, and as a guest with Connaught Brass.

Olivia will be performing her solo debut at Wigmore Hall in May 2024, as part of the Musicians’ Company Concerts series in association with the Maisie Lewis Young Artists Fund.

Award: Musicians’ Company Concerts 2023

Page updated: 27 February 2024

Photo credit: Rachel Caul