About the Episode:

Despite the early age that many musicians begin learning their instrument, burnout and lost passion are overwhelmingly common. Many musicians struggle with tedious practice, parental pressure, and competition, and eventually lose the love for their instrument.

In this episode, violinist Oliver Tan speaks about starting his studies motivated by his love for music, his challenges and highlights while navigating various musical communities, and his advice for remaining passionate through the difficult journey of learning music.

About the Artist:

Oliver Tan, raised in the Greater Seattle area, began his musical studies at age 7 on piano and 3 years later on the violin at age 10, initially just playing with his school orchestra and two years later being admitted into the studio of John Kim. In the summer of 2024, he attended Interlochen Arts Camp for violin for 3 weeks on a partial scholarship, and there he was under the tutelage of Dr. Naomi Gjevre. Oliver has won top prizes at various local music competitions, including the Bach Festival and Classical Viennese Festival, and has served as concertmaster in the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras (SYSO). He participated in a chamber music workshop hosted by the Skryos Quartet in the summer of 2025, in which he studied Mendelssohn's first string quartet in A Major, and he has also performed the first movement of Schubert’s Cello Quintet in C Major. He currently serves as assistant principal second violin in the Junior Symphony in SYSO, and plays in the first violin section of his school orchestra. In his free time, he enjoys doing debate, going on runs, and listening to music.