Oliver Neal Parker attended University of Surrey where he was awarded a conducting scholarship, studying with Nicholas Conran. He also studied composition and conducting with Sebastian Forbes and singing with Glyn Davenport. During this time Oliver was a student conductor with the Amadeus Orchestra, and assistant conductor of Bath Philharmonia. Graduating with a Master's Degree, he went on to continue his studies at the University of Freiburg, Germany, and at the Juilliard School in New York City.

Oliver began his conducting career as Music Director of Guildford Opera, where productions included Eugene Onegin, Le nozze di Figaro, Iolanthe, The Mikado, Samson, The Tales of Hoffmann, The Rake's Progress, The Bear and Trouble in Tahiti. Since then he has worked as Assistant Conductor and Chorus Master for British Youth Opera, Associate Lecturer in Conducting for University of Surrey, Director of Schola Cantorum Greenwich, Director of Music at St James the Greater, Leicester, and Guest Conductor for Northampton Festival Opera.

He has prepared choirs and soloists for a number of conductors, including Lorin Maazel, Sir Neville Marriner, Edward Gardner, Noel Davies, Stephen Layton, Giuseppe Grazioli, Eckart Preu and Ian Tracey. He has also prepared singers for performances with Yale Opera, the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Stamford Symphony Orchestra, Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra and the American Classical Orchestra.

In June 2008, Oliver was appointed as Musical Director of the Ceramic City Choir, with whom he has embarked on an exciting programme of concerts, including Verdi Requiem and Mendelssohn Elijah with the Orchestra da Camera, Vivaldi and Handel with the Darwin Ensemble Chamber Orchestra, and Haydn Nelson Mass with Manchester Camerata.

Oliver is Head of Singing at Uppingham School, where he leads a team of 7 singing teachers in delivering some 150 singing lessons every week, and directs three of the school’s six choirs. Recent projects have included a gala concert at St John’s Smith Square, a joint performance by The Sixteen and the Uppingham School Chapel Choir of Spem in Alium, directed by Eamonn Dougan, and a performance by the Chamber Choir at Mansion House in London, in aid of Save the Children and in the presence of HRH the Princess Royal.