Timothy Olsen is the Wanda L. Bass Chair of Organ at Oklahoma City University where he serves as assistant professor of organ and university organist. He also teaches in the theory department.

A native of Frost, Minnesota, Dr. Olsen began his study of the organ at the age of 13 with Sandra Krumholz of Fairmont, MN, and went on to further study with Peter Nygaard at Concordia College in Moorhead MN, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in 1997.  Before graduating he was chosen to perform as solo organist with the Concordia College Orchestra. In May 2005, Dr. Olsen finished his doctoral studies as a student of David Higgs at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he also received the Master of Music in Organ Performance and Literature in 2000. From 1999-2002, Dr. Olsen was Professor Higgs’s teaching assistant. He also received the Master of Arts Degree in Theory Pedagogy in the spring of 2005. While at the Eastman School of Music, Dr. Olsen served on the faculty of the Eastman Community Education Division, and was a teaching assistant in the Eastman theory department. He has served as sabbatical replacement for Jonathan Biggers as Organ Instructor at Binghamton University in the fall of 2003, and for Annette Richards as University Organist at Cornell University from 2003-2005. Dr. Olsen also served on the faculty of Ithaca College teaching organ, harpsichord and sight singing from 2004-2005.

Dr. Olsen is the first-prize winner of the 2002 National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance sponsored by the American Guild of Organists. He has recorded a compact disc on the NAXOS label, and has been featured on Minnesota Public Radio’s Pipedreams.

While maintaining an active schedule of solo recitals – including being featured soloist with the Lawton (OK) Philharmonic in the spring of 2008 – Dr. Olsen also performs on a regular basis collaboratively. He joins Oklahoma City University trumpet professor, Michael Anderson, on organ and trumpet recitals, as well as Nicole Keller in organ duo recitals.

Dr. Olsen also serves as organist at First Christian Church, Oklahoma City.