About the Composer

Oliver John Cameron is an acclaimed composer based in Sydney, known for his versatility across musical genres. His work merges music theatre and pop aesthetics with modern classical forms, with a particular focus on vocal composition. Skilled and experienced in both instrumental and choral writing, he has earned recognition for his ability to create lively and colourful orchestrations and emotionally rich and impactful songs. 

Notable achievements include winning the Emerging Artist Award at the Adelaide Fringe Festival for the musical The Colour Orange, and the Willgoss Choral Prize in 2021 for five lullabies for uncertain times. 

He earned a Bachelor of Music (Composition) with Honours at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2015 and returned for further study in 2023 to complete a Master of Composition with Paul Stanhope as supervisor. As one of four participants in the inaugural Words, Text, Voice, Music program, his NIDA co-developed chamber opera, M.TH.R, is set to premiere at the Parade Theatre in October 2024. 

Oliver joined the Conservatorium staff in 2024 as a casual academic and guest lecturer and prior to this he was the composer-in-residence at Meriden School starting in 2016. Since 2023, Oliver has been a composer-in-residence with Moorambilla Voices, and is currently the Assistant Conductor of River City Voices in Western Sydney.

Recent composition projects have included a song cycle collaboration with Gamilaroi poet, Luke Patterson, for the ABC Classic Commission, a new choral work for the Australian Vocal Ensemble, and Sonant Traces, co-composed with Elizabeth Jigalin at this year’s Sydney Biennale. His largest concert work to date, Lanterns for choir and orchestra, was premiered at the Sydney Opera House in November 2022.

Looking ahead, Oliver’s new musical, Converted! (written with Vic Zerbst) is scheduled for its premiere season with the Australian Theatre for Young People in 2025.

Recognition

2022 | Willoughby Symphony Young Composer Encouragement Award for inkling

2021 | Willgoss Choral Prize for five lullabies for uncertain times

2018 | Adelaide Fringe Emerging Artist Award for The Colour Orange

2017 | Sydney Fringe Critic's Pick Award for The Colour Orange

List of Works

  • 2024 | Sonant Traces for choir and low string ensemble 20' | Biennale of Sydney

    2024 | After the Shipwreck for tenor, viola and piano 15' | ABC Classic Commission Fund 2024

    2023 | Warrumbungle (the meeting place) treble choir and chamber orchestra 10' | Moorambilla Voices

    2023 | I Am Myself for SSATBB choir and piano/organ 8' | Sydney Philharmonia Choirs 26th September 2023

    2023 | Of Self and Shadow for soprano and piano 15' | Premiere 27th September 2023 SCM Festival of Artsong

    2023 | Liturgy for a Lost Soul for SATB choir and orchestra 10' | Young Composer Entry 2023

    2022 | Night Vision (while we sleep) for SATB quartet 6' | Commissioned by the AVÈ, premiere in 2024

    2022 | Cygnus for SSATBB and piano 5' | Premiered by Polyphony Choir 3.12.22

    2022 | No Document for SATB choir and piano/organ | Commissioned by the NEO Voice Festival

    2022 | Lanterns for SSA choir and orchestra 15' | Commissioned by Meriden School, SOH 15.11.22

    2021 | inkling for symphony orchestra 9'45" | WSO Young Composer Encouragement Award

    2021 | five lullabies for uncertain times for SSATBB choir 10' | Winner of the 2021 Willgoss Prize

    2020 | The Answer for SSATBB choir 4'30"

    2019 | Iuxta Modum for brass ensemble 3'15" | Commissioned by Shore School

    2019 | Ortus for orchestra 7'50"

    2019 | Hans and the Rocket Ship for Pierrot ensemble 5'15" | Commissioned by the Atlantic Music Festival

    2018 | Hushes for saxophone and electronics 7'40"

    2018 | Theremin's Listening Device for string quartet and theremin 5'30" | Commissioned by Yasmin Spicer

    2017 | LDV Launch Theme for erhu, strings and percussion 2'55"

    2017 | Sketches of the Moonflower for soprano and piano 5' | Commissioned by the Krivoshev Family

    2016 | Phantom Arachnophobia for flute and bass clarinet 2'30" | Commissioned by Sideband

    2015 | Convection for saxophones, strings and percussion 6'

    2015 | Cool Trepidation for bassoon and electronics 8'50"

    2015 | The Solitary Way for SATB choir and organ 5' | Commissioned by Shore School

    2015 | OD for oboe and electronics 4' | Verge Gallery, USYD

    2014 | Earth 10 for flute, horn, piano and cello 4'30"

  • 2024 | M.TH.R  SCM/NIDA Chamber Opera 30'

    2017-18 | The Colour Orange: the Pauline Hanson Musical 80'

                     Sydney Fringe 2017 (Critics Pick Award Winner)

                     Adelaide Fringe 2018 (Emerging Artist Award Winner)

                     Sydney Comedy Festival 2018

    2016 | Musical of Thrones (arrangement and music production)

  • 2022 | Acqua Profunda | Bondi Festival  

    2021 | I've Loved Her Too Much For Too Long | Workshop/Devised work USYD performance studies

    2019 | Alpine Archer | Templetom Games

    2019 | Wendy and Peter Pan | Meriden School                               

    2017 | In Two Circles | SUDS

    2017 | This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing | Meriden School      

    2017 | Dragon Friends Season 4 Theme | Dragon Friends Podcast                                           

    2015 | Intercellular | Vivid Festival            

  • 2022 | True Spirit | Netflix | Additional arrangement/orchestration assisting Nick Wales and Jessica Wells