Olsen, Loran

From 1970 to 1993, Loran Olsen, then a member of the Washington State University (WSU) Music faculty, did extensive research on the music of the Native Peoples, chiefly of the American Northwest. His varied activities included field trips to document Native traditions in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana; the production of educational media in close collaboration with Native tradition bearers; the scholarly examination of published and unpublished written materials; collecting, editing, organizing, and documenting his own and previously existing sound recordings; developing and teaching courses in Native music at WSU; and giving lectures and workshops in various public forums. In addition to producing a body of primary source material, he also collected a variety of secondary materials that more broadly document the culture and life of North America's Native Peoples. Loran Olsen retired from Washington State University in December 1992, but continues there as Professor Emeritus of Music and Native American Studies. Since 1993 he has lived in Port Angeles, Washington, where he maintains his involvement with Native Music of North America. In 2003 he was named to the Washington State Music Teachers Association “Hall of Fame” for leadership in the development and growth of music education in the State of Washington. Olsen has also taught at China Conservatory in Beijing, Inner Mongolia Normal University, and Shenyang Conservatory where he holds an appointment as visiting guest professor. He served two terms as outside reviewer for Western Music Curricula at Chinese University of Hong Kong, and served on the evaluation panel for the 2006 Research Assessment Exercise for Hong Kong universities.