Tim Olsen is active as composer, performer, and educator. Born in 1961 in St. Paul, Minnesota, his early training involved playing trumpet in marching, concert, and jazz bands. Olsen began writing and arranging for these groups and picked up piano by ear.

He went on to earn a Bachelor of Music (summa cum laude) in music theory and composition from Washington University in St. Louis (1983), a Master of Arts in music theory and composition from the University of Minnesota (1985), and Master of...