Skip to content

New West native to play wingman to astronaut Chris Hadfield

Music has paved the way for some pretty amazing things in Danny Olsen’s lifetime: a wife of 34 years, gigs on either side of the Atlantic and a once-in-a-lifetime celestial jam session.
Dan Olsen
Commanding attention: Dan Olsen will perform as part of a nation-wide concert alongside retired astronaut Chris Hadfield on May 5 as part of Music Monday 2014. The event aims to draw attention to the importance of musical education in the public school system.

Music has paved the way for some pretty amazing things in Danny Olsen’s lifetime: a wife of 34 years, gigs on either side of the Atlantic and a once-in-a-lifetime celestial jam session.

Now the 54-year-old PoCo resident who was born and raised in New Westminster will reprise his role as wingman for one of the nation’s most celebrated astronauts.

Olsen will perform as part of a nation-wide concert alongside retired astronaut Chris Hadfield on May 5 as part of an event called Music Monday 2014.

The premise of the event is to align musicians from across the nation via webcast in order to draw attention to the importance of musical education in the public school system. The May 5 event will be led by Vancouver Symphony Orchestra maestro Bramwell Tovey and kicks off at 10 a.m. at Vancouver’s Telus World of Science.

Olsen’s involvement this year is his second time performing with Hadfield — last year the pair jammed with close to 6,000 students across Canada while Hadfield was stationed in outer space.

“I was absolutely shocked to be invited. I was like a kid, just absolutely thrilled to be in association with [Hadfield] in any way, shape or form,” Olsen said. “But I was really pleased with how it was received by the kids and how excited they were.”

Olsen’s involvement in Music Monday is a way of him paying it forward for today’s generation of young musicians, while also acknowledging the adult mentors who have helped him carve out a 40-plus year career in music.

Originally an accomplished pianist, Olsen then learned how to play the drums during his early teen years with the New Westminster and District Concert Band (NWDB). Since that time, he’s gone on to learn how to play the trumpet, french horn, alto sax, tuba, mandolin, banjo and guitar at high levels.

That proficiency across a number of musical platforms has led to countless gigs with an array of bands across Canada, the U.S. and in Scandinavia. In all, Olsen has played alongside rock bands, concert bands, orchestras and just about any other form of music there is. 

“All those things were facilitated by adults who took their time to support the kids, whether it was money, fundraising or organizing,” he said. “All the effort that those people put in made my growing up with music special.”

Musical philanthropy has stayed with Olsen through the years as well. He’s served on the executive with the NWDB and recently wrapped up a five-year stint as the society’s president, all while remaining involved with three bands within the society. Olsen is also actively involved with both the Coalition for Music Education in British Columbia and Coalition for Music Education in Canada — the latter group is organizing the May 5 event he’ll be performing in.

“I really believe in music education. I just see all around the country that music education is becoming a pay-as-you-go kind of thing. The value of music in my life is absolutely immeasurable. I think it’s important that our children get that same opportunity,” he said.

For more info on Music Monday 2014, log on www.musicmonday.ca.