Nickolas Carlson is a conductor, organist, pianist, teacher, and passionate advocate for the power of music to bring people together. Based in Olympia, Washington, he is deeply involved in the region’s musical life, working with orchestras, opera, theater, students, and community ensembles.

Originally from Lindsborg, KS, Carlson grew up surrounded by music and community traditions. His early experiences performing in Lindsborg’s celebrated Messiah festival tradition helped foster a lifelong love of making music with others and sharing it with audiences. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance from Bethany College in Lindsborg and a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Wichita State University.

Since moving to the South Puget Sound, Carlson has become an active musical leader throughout the Olympia area. He serves as Music Director and Conductor of the Olympia Chamber Orchestra and as conductor of the South Puget Sound Community College Symphony Orchestra. He also works with the Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia and serves as Musical Director for Pacific Northwest Theater. In addition, he is Director of Music Ministry at The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd in Olympia and has served on the music faculty and as a staff accompanist at Saint Martin’s University.

Carlson has guest-conducted ensembles in the Pacific Northwest and abroad, including the Vratsa Symphony in Bulgaria with soloists Hye-Kyeong Cho and Crystal Zimmerman. His musical interests span orchestral, operatic, choral, and theatrical repertoire, with a particular enthusiasm for discovering and presenting music that may be unfamiliar to audiences. Through his conducting and working with musicians of all ages, Carlson continues to foster musical excellence while strengthening the role of music as a vital part of community life.