Biography

British-Algerian-German violinist Olivia Ziani lives in London and enjoys an extensive and varied freelance career across a multitude of different musical genres. 

Olivia is currently performing as violinist on the international tour of The Last Ship with Sting, with performances in Amsterdam (Royal Theatre Carre), Paris (La Seine Musicale), Brisbane (Queensland Performing Arts Centre), and New York City (The Metropolitan Opera). Other theatre credits include Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour - violin chairholder), Love Never Dies (International Tour - violin chairholder), Phantom of the Opera (His Majesty's Theatre - dep, Cankarjev Dom Ljubljana - dep), Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre - dep), Brigadoon (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre - dep), Hamilton (UK & Ireland Tour - dep), Miss Saigon (UK Tour - dep).

As a freelance orchestral violinist, Olivia works with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Welsh National Opera Orchestra, London Mozart Players, London Contemporary Orchestra, Chineke! Orchestra, Orpheus Sinfonia, Chromatica Orchestra, and the Engines Orchestra. Olivia has toured with various orchestras around the UK, Europe and Russia, and in 2022, Olivia spent the summer in Berlin, Germany, performing as a principal player with the Berlin Opera Academy Orchestra. 

Olivia has performed with pop artists including Robbie Williams, Rita Ora, Adam Lambert, and James Arthur, and on television shows and platforms including The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, The Jonathan Ross Show, The One Show, VEVO, Starstruck, Tonight with Target, and Michael McIntyre’s Big Show. Recent highlights include appearing in the music video for Robbie Williams' new single Desire, featuring Laura Pausini, the first ever official FIFA anthem.

Olivia has given solo and chamber music recitals at venues including the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Leeds International Concert Series, the Spice of Life, and Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. She currently performs and records as lead violinist in both the 97 Ensemble and the Kalpadruma Collective. 

Olivia began playing the violin at the age of six. She attended the Purcell School for Young Musicians before beginning studies as a violin scholar at the Royal College of Music, where she attained a first class honours degree and a postgraduate performance degree, studying with Professors Yossi Zivoni and Gabrielle Lester. During her time at the RCM, Olivia led both the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Opera Orchestra, and performed as principal second violin of the Symphony Orchestra. 

Olivia is a qualified violin teacher with a distinction in the ABRSM teaching diploma qualification. In 2021, she was an ambassador for the Benedetti Foundation, and was appointed violin teacher at the University of Reading in 2022.