Ricardo Cavalcante de Oliveira, native of Pernambuco, Brazil, started his musical career as violist at the Pernambuco Conservatory of Music at age 13. In 2009, he participated at the MIMO Festival where he was invited to participate in summer camps in Texas and Connecticut. In 2013, he was accepted into Wichita State University where he studied viola performance and chamber music under the guidance of Boris Vayner, Catherine Consiglio and Leonid Shukaev. As a member of the Cardo String Trio, Ricardo was selected for the final round of the 2014 Music Teacher National Association Competition (MTNA) and won the West Central Division round. In 2013, 2014 and 2016, he was the first prize recipient of the Konrad Wolff and Ilse Bing Chamber Music Competition with the Walenta String Quartet, Cardo String Trio and Halcyon String Trio, respectively. As a soloist, Ricardo has performed with the Suprima Chamber Orchestra, St. Petersburg International Music Academy Orchestra, and Pernambuco Conservatory Orchestra. As a chamber music player has performed at festivals in Brazil, Mexico, US and Russia. In 2022, Ricardo received his Master of Music Degree in Viola Performance at The University of Kansas. Currently, Ricardo is a member of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and the viola coach for the Wichita Youth Symphony Orchestras.

Ricardo currently resides in Maize, Kansas with his wife and dog. He loves to travel, play video games, and watch TV series and movies. Though born and raised in Brazil, he has found his home here in the heartland. He is dedicated to help cultivate the next generation of young musicians through his passion of orchestral music and teaching.