Olivia McLean is a passionate cellist and music graduate from the University of Glasgow. She began her musical studies in primary school with cello lessons from Dr. Alasdair Mitchell and Aimée Horvath, continuing her training with Sonia Cromarty during university. Olivia's academic interests lie in performance, composition, sonic arts, music education, and ludomusicology.

Playing the cello has brought Olivia many musical opportunities, she performs with the ‘CIVIS Symphonic Orchestra’ comprised of ninety students from nine European universities. In 2022, the orchestra performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in Marseille to an audience of 800 at La Criée. In 2023, the orchestra performed Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty Suite and Orff's Carmina Burana in Madrid to a sold-out audience of 2400 at The Auditorio Nacional de Música.

Remaining active within Glasgow's orchestral and band scene, Olivia is a returning member of UofG’s student-led symphony orchestra ‘The Kelvin Ensemble’ and has served as principal cellist in RSNO's ‘Young Creatives’ in 2023. Currently, she plays cello in ‘The Tenementals’, a band exploring Glasgow's history through music which won the 'Outstanding Event' award at the 2022 Glasgow Doors Open Day Festival.

Amongst various collaborative music projects and freelance cello work, Olivia eagerly anticipates performing with 'The Tenementals' at 'The Glasgow Weekender' in August 2024. Alongside this, she looks forward to collaborating on new electronic works with her brother, Callan McLean.

Excited to expand her musical knowledge and training as a new Instrumental Ambassador, Olivia is dedicated to ensuring that music opportunities remain freely accessible to all.