Madeline Olson is principal harpist of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and maintains a diverse performing career as an award-winning soloist and chamber musician. She has recently been featured as a soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Maryland Symphony, Buffalo Opera Unlimited, Modesto Symphony, and Merced Symphony. Most recently, she performed the 2023 world premiere of José Lezcano’s Concierto Hispanoamericano for two double basses and harp. In 2019 she was awarded a career grant from Charlotte White’s Salon de Virtuosi.

The first American to be awarded first prize at the 2017 Nippon International Harp Competition in Soka, Japan, Ms. Olson was also winner of the 2016 Aspen Music Festival Harp Competition and the Young Artist’s Harp Competition, was a 2013 National Young Arts winner, and was featured as a Focus on Youth soloist at the 11th World Harp Congress in Vancouver. She has taken prizes at the Hong Kong International Harp Competition, American Harp Society National Competition, Yvonne LaMothe Schwager Regional Competition, and was a recipient of the Aspen Festival New Horizons Fellowship in 2017.

In addition to her duties with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Ms. Olson has performed with many other ensembles including the Baltimore Symphony and Hong Kong Philharmonic. She received both her BM and MM degrees from The Juilliard School under Nancy Allen.