Biography

Violinist Alma Olite presented herself for the first time to an audience at the age of eight years. Since then, she has been performing concerts as a soloist and chamber music player in several countries of Europe, Latin America and in Canada.

Before entering the prestigious Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid to study with Zakhar Bron and Yuri Volguin (2005-2011), she studied in Zaragoza under the direction of Valeri Gazarian. During her studies in Madrid, Alma was awarded by the Queen Sofía of Spain as the most distinguished student of Zakhar Bron’s Chair. As well she was the 1st violinist of the Albeniz Quartet, which was awarded as the most distinguished string quartet for three years, in the Chairs of Rainer Schmidt, Alasdair Tait and Heime Müller. They also had the opportunity to work intensively with all the members of the Alban Berg Quartet, Walter Levin, Menahem Pressler and Ferenc Rados among others.
Alma finished her studies with a Master Specialized in Soloist Performance at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste in Zürich, with Zakhar Bron (2011-2013).

During the years 2013 and 2014, Alma was a member of the Jubilee Quartet based in London. They won the 2nd prize at the Karol Szymanowski International Quartet Competition in Poland. The quartet made many tours around Europe and Canada, with two remarkable concerts in the Wigmore Hall. As well they were selected as “Quartet in Residence” in Aldeburgh and participated in the prestigious MISQA (McGill International String Quartet Academy) in Canada. They had their studies in the Instituto de Cámara of Madrid with Prof. Günter Pichler and in the Hochschule für Musik in Basel with Prof. Rainer Schmidt, as well they received the guidance of the Belcea Quartet.

Participating in National and International violin competitions, she obtained the 1st Prize at Vila de Salou Competition, 1st Prize at Teodoro Ballo Competition, 2nd Prize at Juventudes Musicales de España and the Bronze Medal at the International Wieniawski-Lipinski Competition, among others.

Alma is a passionate performer of 20th and 21st century’s music, and in 2011 she performed the world premiere of “Nosferatu”, a violin solo piece dedicated to her by the composer Antonio Ballestín. She has been the first violin of the Bayona Ensemble, which was Resident Group at the Zaragoza Auditorium, specialized in contemporary music.

She has collaborated with the Orquesta de Cadaqués, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid (Teatro Real) and the social projects “Musethica”, “Live Music Now” and “Fondation Résonnance”. She has done recordings for the BBC, TVE, RNE and Telemadrid. Between 2006 and 2010 she lived at the historical Residencia de Estudiantes of Madrid thanks to the scholarship for artists awarded by the Gobierno de Aragón.

During the course 2019/20 Alma Olite worked as violin teacher of high studies at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Aragón. As well, she collaborated with the “Summer Camp” from the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía. Since October 2020 she is violin professor at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid.