Oliver Yates

Oliver joined the LPO in February 2025.

Olly was born in Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire, and began piano lessons at the age of three. He then started drum lessons at his local music service before attending Junior Trinity College of Music to study percussion and composition.

He later went to Chetham’s School of Music, and in 2000 was a Percussion finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. As an undergraduate Olly attended London’s Royal Academy of Music, where he was awarded the Avedis Zildjian First and Second Prizes, as well as winning the Yamaha Music Europe Foundation Scholarship. He joined the European Union Youth Orchestra before graduating in 2004.

For the past 20 years Olly has freelanced with all the symphony and opera orchestras in London, and was acting Co-Principal Percussion of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra from 2007-15. He has performed as Guest Principal with the LPO, RPO, Philharmonia, CBSO and Chamber Orchestra of Europe. He feels extremely lucky to have travelled the world performing and socialising with some truly world-class musicians and colleagues. 

Olly has been teaching at Eton College since 2013 and was appointed Head of Percussion in 2023.

Most of his spare time is enjoyed with his family, and he loves playing football for West Wickham Musicians FC, running, cooking and drinking real ale. He is a huge Luton Town fan and follows the Anaheim Ducks ice hockey team.