"Symphony gives beautiful interpretation of Brahms," "Verdi's Requiem remarkable," "LSO offered a grand opening," "..played as hauntingly as I have ever heard," "Longmont boasts best Nutcracker."

After eight years with LSO, Olson moved to Kansas City, MO in 1990 where he assumed the position of Director of Orchestras at the Conservatory of Music, University of Missouri-Kansas City. Besides the Conservatory position, where Olson conducts two orchestras and the opera program, he is in his twelfth season as conductor for the Kansas City Ballet, conducting 40 performances a year with the Kansas City and St. Louis Symphonies.  Critics hailed Olson's St. Louis Nutcracker, saying "The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra sounded as good as they did in concert."

Recognized internationally for his interpretation of Gustav Mahler, he is founder and Artistic Director of Colorado MahlerFest, an annual festival held in Boulder each January celebrating the music of Mahler. Olson and the MahlerFest were featured in a full-page article in the New York Times, January17th, 2002, in which they wrote, "He may be more steeped in the music of Mahler than any American alive." A loyal manifestation of Mahlerian enthusiasm, it has been elevated to a nationally acclaimed event. His performance of Mahler's Eighth Symphony (the "Symphony of a Thousand") attracted international interest and critical acclaim, and Olson was presented a baton owned by Gustav Mahler from the New York Mahler Society especially for this event. The CD release of this performance has been hailed by major publications as "in the same class as the best on record" and "legendary."  His recently released CD of the Mahler Tenth Symphony, realization by Joseph Wheeler, is considered a landmark, along with his four years of editing work to make a performing edition on the same.  His recently recorded Mahler Tenth Symphony with the Polish National Radio Orchestra for NAXOS records has received glowing review, such as "It would be difficult to conceive a performance better shaped and conducted than what Olson offers here."

He has held conducting posts with the Omaha Symphony, Boulder Baroque Chamber Orchestra, the University of Colorado (opera and orchestra), Boulder Civic Opera, Arapahoe Chamber Orchestra, Arvada Chamber Orchestra, Rocky Ridge Music Festival Orchestra and the Colorado Gilbert & Sulivan Festival.

Olson has an impressive list of guest conducting invitations, including the Miami City Ballet, the National Symphony of China in Beijing, the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra in the Czech Republic, and the National Radio Orchestra of Milano, Italy. He received rave reviews in Bergamo, Italy, Maraky, Venezuela, and has twice conducted in Belgium for the Festival d'Walloonie.

As a recipient of the coveted Fulbright scholarship, Olson studied with the legendary pedagogue Hans Swarovsky of the Vienna Philharmonic, and such well known conductors as Leonard Bernstein, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Georg Solti, Andre Previn and Herbert Blomstedt.

He has degrees from Northern Illinois University, Michigan State University, and his doctorate from the University of Washington. He was recently honored by the University of Missouri-Kansas City as a "Faculty Fellow," the highest research award given by the University system and one which carries a significant prize.

As an internationally-recognized bassoonist, Olson has performed in Europe, Japan and the United States. He performed at the 1990 Vienna International Music Festival and has recorded for the Czechoslovakian Radio.

Olson is married to violist Victoria and has two beautiful children, Tori (16) and Chelsea (13) both of whom have already conducted the Longmont Symphony Orchestra!