Olivia Ajero

Olivia Ajero, a 17-year-old pianist from Nacogdoches, Texas, began piano lessons with her father, Mario Ajero. She continued piano studies with Minhae Lee at Stephen F. Austin State University and Linda Parr at SFA Music Preparatory. Olivia is currently a Classical Piano Performance Major student at Interlochen Arts Academy studying with Christopher Goodpasture. In her first year, she was a winner of the Interlochen Arts Academy Concerto Competition and performed with the orchestra.

Olivia won first place in the Michigan state round of the Music Teachers National Association Piano Performance Competition and won the Texas Music Teachers Association Piano Concerto Performance Contest in Houston. She was a semi-finalist in the inaugural Ralph Votapek Young Artist International Piano Competition.

Olivia has been featured on the NPR program “From The Top” and its accompanying Daily Joy video series. She attended the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina, where she studied with piano faculty including Michael Chertock, Norman Krieger, Gabriela Martinez, and Clara Yang. Olivia was a winner of the BMC Jan & Beattie Wood Concerto Competition and performed with the BMC Orchestra conducted by Ken Lam. She also was a winner of the Texas State International Piano Festival Concerto Competition and will attend the Aspen Music Festival & School this summer.