'Songs for a Summer's Evening

Shulah Oliver-Smith is a well-respected soloist who has regularly been invited to perform around the U.K and Europe and has performed in Sri Lanka in the presence of the Sri Lankan Prime Minister. Shulah is a sought-after chamber musician and orchestral player. She freelances with orchestras including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Hallé, Opera North, English Symphony Orchestra, Longborough Festival Opera, and has been invited to guest lead and principal 2nd for orchestras including Scottish Ballet, Orchestra of the Swan, Northern Ballet Sinfonia, Bampton Classical Opera, Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra and CHANDOS Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist and ensemble member she has played in many of the leading concert venues in Europe and been invited to play in festivals such as the Paganini London Festival, Norfolk & Norwich, Three Choirs, and St. Endellion Festivals. 

 

Shulah gained a Distinction for her Masters at the Royal Academy of Music, having studied violin with Howard Davis and was awarded the Diploma of the Royal Academy of Music for an outstanding Final Recital. Her studies were assisted by awards from the Elmley and EMI Music Sound Foundations, Musicians’ Benevolent Fund and Winifred Disney. In 2004, Shulah graduated from the Royal College of Music with a First Class Honours Joint Principal (violin / viola) degree. 

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She has been a finalist and received commendations in competitions including the Haverhill Sinfonia Soloist Competition, Delius Prize, Wilfred Parry Prize, Winifred Small Prize and Sir Arthur Bliss Prize, and received awards including the John Mundy and D-Day Fund Prize Awards from RAM.

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Shulah is Artistic Director of The Midland Sinfonia, a professional chamber orchestra based in Alvechurch, and alongside her innovative and accessible concert programming she has established a varied Outreach and Education Programme. Education & Outreach work is an area of her work that is very close to her heart as she believes in the importance of music in promoting health and wellbeing and therefore believes that live music should be accessible to all in the community. As a result Shulah is involved in many Education and Outreach projects including Family Concerts, School Workshops and performances in community settings such as nursing homes, hospices and day care centres. She has been trained with ‘Mindsong’, a charity that works through music and song, with people living with dementia and is experienced in presenting both concerts and videos specially designed for people living with dementia.

Shulah enjoys using her music to raise funds for charities – two stand out highlights of her charity fundraising is raising over £60,000 for Guide Dogs through busking and recitals and organising two concerts in aid or Young Lives VS Cancer (formerly known as CLIC Sargent) in Worcester Cathedral, raising over £25,000 for the charity. She has also run the Worcester City 10k in aid of Guide Dogs, Young Lives vs Cancer and Support Dogs and in September 2025 ran her first Half Marathon in aid of The Midland Sinfonia Education & Outreach Programme.

In her spare time she loves spending time walking with her 2 golden retrievers and her other half Simon.

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She is delighted to be supporting The Oakville Singers in their fundraising efforts for Sensory Matter Worcestershire.