School: Northwestern University

For cellist Blake Oliver, participating in Red Bull Artsehcro is one more way of expressing his belief that education and outreach should be the number one priority for classical ensembles. Forever grateful to the public school music program that got him started on the cello, he tries to give back in performance whenever possible. Before entering Northwestern University’s School of Music, where he is in his third year, Oliver was a member of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and was principal cellist of the Sacramento Youth Symphony. He has also attended the Aspen Music Festival, the Meadowmount School of Music, and California Summer Music in Pebble Beach. About playing Carnegie Hall for the first time, he says, “I’m really psyched. It’s kind of the ultimate musical experience among classical musicians.”