Kyle Olsen

Kyle Olsen is a horn player currently based in Ypsilanti, Michigan who splits his time between teaching and working as a freelance musician across the state playing with orchestras, chamber groups, and as a soloist in various settings. Kyle has performed with regional orchestras around the state including the Flint, Saginaw Bay, and Midland symphonies, as well as the Michigan Sinfonietta, and has also previously played with orchestras in Ohio and Washington State, such as the Lima Symphony and Opera Project Columbus (OH) and the Wenatchee, Yakima, and Mid-Columbia Symphonies (WA). In addition to orchestral playing, Kyle frequently plays with brass and wind quintets at churches, graduations, weddings, and other events. Kyle also has experience as a jazz player and has played jazz gigs, competed in jazz horn competitions at the International Horn Symposium, and was invited to perform with a jazz horn quartet and big band at the 2022 Northwest Horn Symposium in Moscow, ID. 

As a teacher, Kyle has taught private lessons to brass players of all ages and skill ranges for the past eight years. In that time, he has worked with 5th graders picking up an instrument for the first time, college students getting a degree in music, adult learners looking to keep playing, and everyone in between. Kyle has worked as a weekly sectional coach to trumpet, horn, and mellophone students in school districts across Washington State and Ohio, and has worked as a horn mentor for the Detroit Civic Youth Ensembles in Detroit, Michigan. Many of Kyle’s students have performed at regional and state level Solo and Ensemble competitions, performed with honor bands and All State bands, and been accepted to youth orchestras and university music programs across the country. 

Kyle graduated with his Masters degree in horn performance from Bowling Green State University studying with Dr. Andrew Pelletier (2024) and completed his undergraduate degrees in horn performance and music education with Dr. Jeffrey Snedeker at Central Washington University (2022). 

When teaching lessons, my primary goal is to foster a love for music while creating well rounded musicians. In order to allow my students to find the most enjoyment in music making, I start off by making sure to establish a solid foundation which includes proper breathing and air support, a quality embouchure, good posture, and correct hand position among other things so that they form good habits that will make playing easier. As brass players, I believe it is especially important that we develop good listening and aural skills on our instruments, so I make sure to include ear training and call and response playing into lessons right from the beginning. I try to encourage my students to develop skills like a good ear, improvisation, sight reading, and music theory because I believe these skills not only make us better musicians but also help improve our horn playing. 

I firmly believe that music should be a fun experience, and I work to create a positive atmosphere where students are not only learning and improving at their instrument, but are also exploring the aspects of music that most interest them. I like to use student curiosity and interests as a guide for what we accomplish in our lessons. while still introducing my students to new ideas and pushing them to become well rounded musicians who have the tools they need to be successful horn players.