Victoria Olson is an American conductor and bassoonist whose artistry bridges a decade of professional orchestral performance with a newly emerging voice on the podium. She currently serves as Principal Bassoon of the Grand Rapids Symphony and Bassoon Instructor at Grand Valley State University, while steadily expanding her work as a conductor.

Victoria’s conducting studies began at Carnegie Mellon University, where she minored in conducting and was the only undergraduate selected to lead the Baroque Ensemble for all four years of her degree. She has since studied with Robert Olson and Marcelo Lehninger, further shaping her musicianship and leadership from the podium. In September 2025, she curated and conducted a chamber orchestra concert featuring members of the Grand Rapids Symphony and Detroit Symphony Orchestra, presenting Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Haydn’s Symphony No. 6 “Le Matin.”

As a bassoonist, Victoria has performed with many of the nation’s leading orchestras, including performing as Assistant Principal or Principal with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, as well as a substitiue musicians with Baltimore Symphony, and Kansas City Symphony. She is a regular guest artist at festivals such as the Peninsula Music Festival, and her concerto appearances include works by Mozart, Gordon Jacob, and Vanhal. She has toured and recorded internationally with chamber ensembles, bringing both classical and contemporary repertoire to diverse audiences.

Through her dual career, Victoria is committed to cultivating community and innovation in music-making. Her work as a conductor is driven by the same values that have defined her playing: clarity, collaboration, and expressive storytelling.