Oliver Edward Colbentson, born on 14 November 1927 in Chicago, was an American violinist who began studying violin with his father at age five and later trained under Leon Sametini at the Chicago Musical College. In 1943, he debuted as a soloist with the Orchestra Hall of Chicago after winning a competition, then studied at the University of Chicago and with Diran Alexanian in New York following a three‑year service in the U.S. Air Force orchestra. He was concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (1954‑1958) and later of the Nürnberg Symphony, while teaching at the Meistersinger Conservatory. His discography included Poème – Oliver Colbentson Plays Romantic and Virtuoso Violin Music (2009) and Britten – Heider – Weber (2010), and he performed over 1,500 concerts and radio broadcasts during his career.
