Kenneth Olsen joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as assistant principal cello in 2005. A native of Albany, New York, he began his musical studies at his public elementary school at the age of eight. He soon went on to study with Martha Vivona, followed by Luis Garcia Renart of Bard College. Olsen received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music as a Richard Aaron student and pursued graduate work at the Juilliard School under Joel Krosnick.
An avid chamber musician, Olsen has performed at numerous festivals around the country, including the Aspen Music, Tanglewood and Ravinia (where he is an alumnus of the Steans Institute) festivals, among others. He has also appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on numerous occasions.
Olsen is a founding member of the East Coast Chamber Orchestra, a conductorless string orchestra that began in 2001 as a group of friends from leading conservatories and music festivals around the country. He is also a founding member of Civitas Ensemble, established in 2011.
Kenneth Olsen
