Steve Olson

Steve Olson, a native of Belt, Montana, holds Bachelors Degrees in Piano Performance and Music Education from the University of Montana. He is currently the orchestra director at Charles M. Russell High School in Great Falls, Montana where he enjoys teaching five orchestra classes and directs the orchestra pit for the school’s annual musical. Steve is also a freelance pianist and violinist, playing with several Montana symphonies, and also composes, arranges, and edits music. Additionally, Steve is a highly sought-after musical theatre musician and conductor, with over twenty years experience as a rehearsal accompanist, pit musician, and music director.

In 2015, Steve founded the Steve Olson Orchestra, a local Great Falls volunteer orchestra of high school and adult musicians. Originally created to record an album of newly written Christmas arrangements (Merry Christmas from Great Falls, Montana), the orchestra gives free concerts and works to mentor the students in the orchestra to become life-long learners and supporters of music, regardless of their future career path. Steve is also the founder and music director of the Big Sky Telemann Players, a local Great Falls Baroque music ensemble that gave regular summer concerts between 2012 and 2016.

Although Steve enjoys teaching and performing standard repertoire, his true passion lies in championing the works of historically marginalized composers. As an educator, he firmly believes music and the arts should truly be for everyone, and everyone should be able to see themselves reflected in their involvement.

Steve Olson’s Musical Theatre Resume