Island-grown musician Oliver Aldort has done it again.

The 16-year-old cello and piano player won the Seattle Young Artist Music Festival medal, concerto competition, and seal of Outstanding Achievement again this year, after winning the competition in 2008. Oliver won the Music Teachers National Association nationals in 2007.

Also a conductor, Oliver has led the Philharmonia Northwest Orchestra and the Academy Chamber Orchestra. In February, Oliver conducted and played the cello at the Orcas Center Academy Chamber Orchestra concert. The orchestra performed brother Lennon Aldort’s Symphony #3 under Oliver’s baton. He will conduct the symphony again in two more concerts in Seattle next week.

Oliver’s debut solo recital was at age seven on the Orcas Center stage. He spent most of his young years in different cities, including Vancouver, Victoria, Boston, and Seattle, pursuing his passion for music.

Recent solos with orchestras include the Dvorak and Elgar cello concertos, as well as Bruch’s Kol Nidrei.

Oliver will soon be attending, on full scholarship, the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles. The highly selective school supports only 120 students at a time.

“Oliver could go to Juilliard or Curtis, but he chose Colburn in order to study with Ron Leonard,” said his mother, Naomi.

This summer, Oliver will be participating in two chamber music international programs in Ottawa and Switzerland.

Videos of Oliver’s performances are online at www.oliveraldort.com