San Diego Art Institute and Fresh Sound music series join up to present a special concert by Mary Oliver at SDAI on December 17th from 6 – 8 pm. 

Mary Oliver (violin, viola and hardanger fiddle) performs and connects works by Misha Mengelberg, György Ligeti, Knut Heddi, Herbie Nichols and herself via the winding and exploratory path of improvisation.

Mary Oliver, violin, viola, and hardanger fiddle, is a performer whose virtuosity spans the worlds of scored and improvised music. Oliver (b. La Jolla, California) completed her studies at the University of California, San Diego where she received her Ph.D for her research in the theory and practice of improvised music. Her doctoral thesis, “Constellations in Play,” identified a new kind of creative discipline, which Oliver has pursued with colleagues locally and around the world.                                                                  

As a soloist, Oliver has performed in numerous international festivals and premiered works by, among others John Cage, Chaya Czernowin, Brian Ferneyhough, Lou Harrison, Joëlle Léandre, George E. Lewis, Liza Lim, Misha Mengelberg and Iannis Xenakis. She has worked alongside improvising musicians and dancers such as Mark Dresser, Joëlle Léandre, Myra Melford, Alexander von Schlippenbach and Michael Schumacher.                                                                                   

Based in Amsterdam, Oliver is a member of the Instant Composers Pool (ICP) Orkest, and a regular collaborator with dancer/choreographer Michael Schumacher.  She is on the faculty at the Hogeschool voor het Kunst Utrecht and on the faculty at the Dutch Improv Academy.