Conducting Staff & Teaching Artists

Greg Allison, Artistic Director and Conductor

Greg Allison
Artistic Director & Conductor, Conservatory Orchestra, Brass Choir

Greg Allison received his B.A. and M.A. in Music Education from Western Washington University where he studied trumpet with the late William D. Cole. Mr. Allison taught instrumental music in the Olympia School District for 40 years and recently retired. His bands were chosen to perform at the State and Northwest Music Educators’ Conference and the Western International Band Clinic.

Mr. Allison has performed in the Northwest Wind Symphony, the 22nd Ave Dixieland Band, the Tacoma Concert Band, and the Evergreen Brass Quintet. He has been a guest adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor for state and regional festivals and conventions including the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. He has served on the Washington Music Educator’s board of directors, managed WMEA High School and Junior All-State, and was a recipient of the WMEA Teacher of the Year for middle-level education. In 2014, he was inducted into the WMEA Hall of Fame.

Elizabeth Ward
Assistant Conductor, Brass Choir

Elizabeth Ward received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington and a Master of Musical Arts degree from Yale School of Music. Ms. Ward is a former member of the New Haven Symphony, Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra, Pennsylvania Orchestra, Philadelphia Opera Orchestra, and Young Audiences Inc., of Philadelphia.

Returning to the Northwest, Ms. Ward founded the Evergreen Brass Quintet, well known for its outstanding educational presentations. As a studio teacher, Ms. Ward’s students have consistently received awards on the local and national levels. Ms. Ward is Assistant Conductor of the Tacoma Youth Symphony and Conductor of the Tacoma Youth Symphony’s Brass Choir and Chamber Winds.

Nicholas Carlson
Conductor, Philharmonic Orchestra

Nickolas Carlson is a conductor, organist, and collaborative pianist based in Olympia, WA, originally from Lindsborg, KS. He serves as music director and conductor for the Olympia Chamber Orchestra, Olympia Opera Theatre, and Pacific Northwest Theater, and is Director of Music Ministry at The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd.

Nickolas earned his Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Wichita State University and his Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance from Bethany College. He has studied with conductors including Dianne Wittry, Anna Edwards, and Roupen Shakarian.

His guest conducting work includes engagements with the Vratsa Symphony in Bulgaria, South Puget Sound Community College Symphony Orchestra, and Chicago Summer Opera. Nickolas is known for his collaborative spirit and has led performances ranging from Handel’s Rinaldo to Rameau’s Les Indes Galantes.

Dan Craig
Conductor, Academy Orchestra

Dan Craig is the Director of Bands at Chehalis Middle School. He received his BA in both Music Education and Tuba Performance from Central Washington University and earned his MS in Curriculum and Instruction.

Mr. Craig is an award-winning tuba player, performing regularly throughout the region. He is a member of the Evergreen Brass Quintet, the Northwest Wind Symphony, and the SPSCC Symphony Orchestra at South Puget Sound Community College. Mr. Craig studied Tuba with Marty Erickson at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he won the Peck School of the Arts Concerto Competition as a freshman. Mr. Craig was the principal tuba for both the Wind Ensemble under Larry Gookin and the Symphony Orchestra under Dr. Nikolas Caoile while at CWU and has performed at many Low Brass Clinics and Symposiums throughout the country. Mr. Craig was the Drum Major for the CWU Marching Band and student director of the CWU Tuba and Euphonium choir.

Linda Pyle
Conductor, Debut Orchestra

Linda Pyle conducts the Debut orchestra and teaches general music, choir, drama, and orchestra for North Thurston Public schools. She holds degrees in music education and classroom management from Pacific Lutheran University and American College of Education. Her orchestras have made appearances at state music teacher conventions and several guest appearances at Disneyland.

Mrs. Pyle’s musical interests are varied: she plays violin with the Olympia Symphony Orchestra, fiddles with a local bluegrass group and plays bass guitar, cello, keyboards, and electric violin with her worship team.

When not making music, Mrs. Pyle enjoys teaching yoga, Pilates, and Sunday school, but most of all, cheering on her two children’s athletic and academic endeavors along with her husband.