"Christian is a fabulous musician, and artistically very thoughtful... extremely bright and quite articulate."
Thomas Wilkins, Principal Conductor, The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
"Mr. Olson has a very clear baton technique which conveys the many subtleties of the scores he conducts. He has a highly developed musicality coupled with the temperament to convey this musicality both to the orchestra and audience."
Arthur Fagen, Music Director, Atlanta Opera
Christian Olson is a conductor whose stylistic awareness and musical scholarship form the foundation of his emotionally sincere and energetic interpretations. His recent season has included critically acclaimed performances at the Glimmerglass Festival (where he stepped in to conduct Pagliacci on short notice), a subscription series concert with the Greenwich Village Orchestra, and the inaugural concert of the NYC-based Ver Sacrum Consort. In 2025, he is slated to be the AAF Faber Conducting Fellow at the Salzburg Festspiele where he was handpicked by members of the Vienna Philharmonic. Soloists and singers he has performed and worked with include Tara Erraught, Karen Ouzounian, Youngsun Choi, Isobel Anthony, Troy Cook, Amber Monroe, Robert Stahley, and Deepa Johnny.
He was recently appointed as Music Director for the Sound Symphony on Long Island, NY, and also serves as the Assistant Conductor for the Greenwich Village Orchestra in NYC. Previous positions include Assistant Conductor of the Glimmerglass Festival, Conducting Fellow with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Conductor at the Chicago Summer Opera, and also for the Indiana University Opera and Ballet Theater.
He has participated in the Ferenc Fricsay International Conducting Competition, the Lányi International Conducting Competition, the Lake Como International Conducting Competition, the German Institute of Conducting Competition and was named a Finalist in the Respighi Conducting Competition. He has also been featured in a PBS documentary on the life of Thomas Wilkins.
Conductors he has studied under and worked with include Sir Roger Norrington, Franz Welser-Möst, Stéphane Denève, Robert Spano, Nicolás Pasquet, and Carl St. Clair. His primary teachers include Arthur Fagen, Thomas Wilkins, and Dr. Paul C. Phillips.
In addition to his conducting engagements, Mr. Olson is in demand as a vocal coach of young singers in a wide array of operatic and art song repertoire, and has worked with singers who have gone on to be featured performers at the Tanglewood Music Center, LA Opera, the Opéra national de Paris, the Dutch National Opera, Wolf Trap Opera Company, Opera Philadelphia, the Aspen Summer Music Festival, and Merola, among many others.
Mr. Olson studied musicology at the University of North Texas and is currently pursuing his DMA in conducting at Indiana University.