About Olivia Ren

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, violinist Olivia Ren began her musical studies with the piano at the age of 5, and picked up the violin at the age of 8. Most of her formative violin training was done with Hong-Guang Jia, the former assistant concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Initially, Olivia wasn't planning on pursuing a degree, let alone career, in music. However, she joined her first youth orchestra as a freshman in high school, and was blown away by the collaborative effort and inspiring music making of her friends and peers. The piece that inspired her the most was Igor Stravinsky’s Petrushka.

Olivia went on to do the dual degree program at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Case Western Reserve University, achieving high honors and her Bachelor’s Degree in Music in 2015. She then earned her Master’s Degree in Violin Performance at the University of Maryland in 2018, studying with Dr. James Stern.

Olivia has worked and traveled extensively with renowned orchestral groups, such as the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, the National Orchestral Institute Orchestra, the AIMS Festival Orchestra, and the Apollo Orchestra.

Currently, she resides and works in the D.C. metro area, performing as a freelance musician and teacher.

Olivia believes in establishing a well-rounded technical foundation, as well as promoting critical thinking and musical curiosity. Students will learn to not only play the violin or viola, but to also develop a lifelong appreciation for music, as well as other skills that will allow them to become multi-faceted learners.

When not performing or teaching, Olivia enjoys cooking, reading, hiking, and playing with her two cats.