Oliver (Zihuan) Xu is a Canadian violinist who began playing at age six and currently studies under Marko Dreher. He was accepted into the RCM Phil and Eli Taylor Academy in 2021 and has participated in masterclasses with renowned violinists including Jonathan Crow, Barry Shiffman, Mimi Zweig, Sibbi Bernhardsson, Martin Beaver, and Ida Kavafian. In 2023, he won first prize in the Canadian Music Competition (age group 13) and soloed with orchestra after winning the Phil and Eli Taylor Academy Concerto Competition. He also won numerous awards in local music festivals.
Oliver is also a violinist of the Inicio string quartet. In 2024, they received an honourable mention in the Chicago National Chamber Music Competition Open Division. In 2023, this quartet won first prize in the age 15 chamber music group in the Canadian Music Competition, various awards in the Peel and Kiwanis music festivals, and the OMFA Provincial Finals.
In addition to music, Oliver enjoys reading, photography, travelling, and math.