His musical journey began in childhood with violin lessons and early composition, followed by formal study at Clare College, Cambridge, and a PhD in Composition from the Royal Academy of Music. This classical foundation led to commissions from leading ensembles including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia, the BBC Singers, and the Endymion Ensemble. Alongside this, time spent in India sparked a deep engagement with Indian music and culture, resulting in long-term collaborations, theatre commissions, touring across South Asia, and album releases with projects such as Khiyo.

In recent years, Oliver has developed a strong presence in film scoring, particularly within dystopian and independent South Asian cinema. His feature film credits include Cat Sticks (premiered at Slamdance 2019), Rising Silence (winner of Best Documentary at Dhaka International Film Festival 2019), and The Daughter, starring Naseeruddin Shah. He is also an in-demand arranger, working with artists ranging from Elton John and Jonny Greenwood to Chas & Dave and Howard Goodall.

Oliver is drawn to production music for the challenge of creating highly individual work at speed, tailoring music precisely to picture and narrative. He enjoys fusing contrasting styles to discover unexpected results.

Recent Work:
Film scores include Cat Sticks, Rising Silence, and The Daughter.

Dream Commission:
A large-scale Mahlerian symphony or a Straussian opera.

Instruments:
Piano, guitar, strings, voice, tabla, drums (recorded live)