Short Biography

Oliver Steiner was born in New York City, beginning his violin studies there at the age of seven. Following his studies with Dorothy DeLay at the Juilliard School, Mr. Steiner was selected by Nathan Milstein for a scholarship to study with the legendary master in Zurich. Steiner also appeared in chamber music and solo concerto performances at the Pontino Festival in Italy and at the Yehudi Menuhin Festival in Gstaad.

Though his performances overseas and throughout the United States have included radio and television broadcasts, recordings, solos with orchestras and chamber music concerts, he is best known as a recitalist. His recital programs invariably include shorter works, of which he is so fond, as well as the larger masterpieces of the violin repertory. In an interview in the Baltimore Sun, Pinchas Zukerman said: "When Ollie plays that stuff - the shtikeleh (Yiddish for "little pieces") and the transcriptions the old-timers used to play - he can really make the past come alive." The New York Times titled its review of Mr. Steiner’s Carnegie Recital Hall debut: “Steiner Violin Sparkles”, calling his performance: “a splendidly played concert in which fine-honed techniques and superior musicianship asserted themselves at every point.”

From 1972 to 1992 Mr. Steiner was a member of the violin faculty at Rochester New York’s Eastman School of Music. He now lives and teaches in Atlanta.

Mr. Steiner has recorded for National Public Radio, Orion Records and Albany Records.