“It's just soothing,” Olah shares. “I always like practicing. It's just my time where I can sit and work on something and not worry about anything else.”

In addition to being a Professor of Education, Olah is a professional trombonist who has built an extensive career that seamlessly blends his passions for education and music.

 

A Prelude to Purpose

Olah’s foray into music began with an interest to join his school’s band. Growing up in a big family in Toledo, Ohio, he had to ask around the neighborhood to find an instrument he could borrow. He managed to bring home a clarinet and a trombone. The clarinet smelled funny, and its reed was broken, so that left Olah with the trombone. 

He started playing in the 5th grade and continued well into high school. Even as he was preparing to attend college, he discovered more opportunities to keep honing his musical skills while also pursuing another lifelong interest.

“I always knew I wanted to be a teacher growing up, but I didn't know what I wanted to teach,” Olah says. “I auditioned at the University of Toledo and got a music scholarship. So I went, ‘okay, I'll teach music.’”

Undergraduate and graduate degrees in music education, along with experience playing other brass instruments like the tuba and the trumpet, allowed Olah to become a band director and teacher at the middle and high school levels, where he could help shape burgeoning young musicians. An additional master's degree in school administration opened the door for him to work as an assistant principal and later a principal. After he earned an EdD in technology education, Olah taught at Campbell University in North Carolina.

 

Taking Center Stage

The classroom was not the only place Olah was able to share his love of music. He played the trombone in several ensembles, including the North Carolina Brass Band, Raleigh Jazz Orchestra, Carolina Philharmonic, and the Moonlighters Big Band.

Olah has also performed with an array of renowned musicians, like Luciano Pavarotti, Dizzy Gillespie, and Barry Manilow, to name a few.  “When these famous people go on tour, they come into the cities and put together an orchestra to back them up, and I was one of the ones chosen for that,” he adds.

On top of his group performances, Olah ran a wedding music business with his wife Molly, a violinist whom he met in graduate school. Together, they spent weekends playing at ceremonies and receptions.

“In music, you have to make your own opportunities,” Olah says. “I'm glad we did all that and had all those experiences.”

 

A Life in Harmony

Since relocating to Guam in 2015, Olah has continued to stay active in his pedagogical and musical endeavors.

At UOG, Olah is a faculty member with SOE’s Division of Professional Teacher Preparation and is involved in research around educational technology and educational policy. He was part of the team that developed the I Meyeng UOG-Certified Online Teacher Program and has taught summer teacher training classes in Yap and Pohnpei through UOG’s partnership with the College of Micronesia.

Olah also teaches brass music for UOG’s music program, offering trombone and trumpet lessons, and joined Mangilao Hot Jazz, UOG’s official jazz band. Whenever it is a colleague or student’s birthday, he has been known to break out his trumpet to play “Happy Birthday.” 

Outside of his university role, Olah is the principal trombonist of the Guam Symphony Orchestra. People still ask him and his wife if they can play at weddings, but lately, they have been more keen on passing the torch along to the next generation of musicians.

“What I like is there are younger people on the island who we can say, ‘You do it, and you make that extra money,’ and it's enjoyable seeing them doing what we used to do,” he says.

 

The Next Movement

When asked what the future holds, Olah is playing it by ear, but both teaching and the trombone will remain constants.

“Retirement is my nightmare,” he laughs. “I've got to have something to wake up and look forward to, so yes, I’ll absolutely keep playing, and again, I always wanted to be a teacher, so I'm living the dream.”

Olah’s career, defined by decades of performing on stage and providing guidance for future educators, is a masterclass in following one’s passions fully.

“I don't know how many people get to do that, but I get to wake up every day and do what I enjoy doing,” Olah says.