Without ever seeking media exposure, Olivier Charlier has established himself as one of the leading violinists of his generation. Beneath an appearance of gentleness and modesty lies an exemplary career: First Prize at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris at the age of 14, followed by the most coveted international awards (Munich, Montreal, Sibelius, Jacques Thibaud, Indianapolis, Young Concert Artists New York…). Taken under the wing of legendary figures such as Nadia Boulanger, Yehudi Menuhin and Henryk Szeryng, this virtuoso achieved international success at an exceptionally early age.

Olivier Charlier may rightfully claim his place in the French violin school – that of Jacques Thibaud, Ginette Neveu and Christian Ferras – and takes pride in making it shine on stages all over the world. He has performed with more than fifty French orchestras, including all the Paris orchestras (Orchestre National, Orchestre de Paris, Radio France Philharmonic, Opéra, Ensemble Orchestral…), as well as all major regional orchestras (Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Lille, Strasbourg, Montpellier, Cannes, Nice…).

He is also a regular guest of major international orchestras: the London Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic, Hallé Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Hamburg Radio Orchestras, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Tonhalle Zurich, Netherlands Philharmonic, as well as orchestras in The Hague, Monte-Carlo, Prague, Zagreb, New York, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Quebec, Mexico, Tokyo and Sydney.

His recording career reflects his eclecticism, including among others concertos by Dutilleux (L’arbre des songes), Lalo, Edward Gregson, Gerard Schurmann (all with the BBC Philharmonic), Roberto Gerhard (BBC Symphony), Mendelssohn (with the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic and Lawrence Foster) and Saint-Saëns (with the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris and Jean-Jacques Kantorow). In sonatas, he has recorded numerous French works with Jean Hubeau: Franck, Debussy, Saint-Saëns, Pierné and Vierne (Erato). With the duo he forms with Brigitte Engerer, he has recorded Schumann, Grieg and Beethoven (Harmonia Mundi).

Olivier Charlier has been teaching at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris since 1992, succeeding his teacher Pierre Doukan. He is regularly invited to serve on juries of international competitions such as Munich, Hanover, Indianapolis and Jacques Thibaud.