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HOUGHTON - When Milt Olsson arrived at Michigan Technological University in 1976 to direct the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, it wasn't initially meant to be a long stay.

Olsson was drawn to the fact that he could work with both an orchestra and a choir - in what would become the MTU Chamber Chorus, now called the Concert Choir - at the university, but he didn't plan to remain in Houghton forever.

"Most folks knew when I came here that I wasn't looking to spend my career here," Olsson said. "I was really looking to hone my conducting skills, and then to move on."

Thirty-three years later, Dr. Olsson is retiring as one of the more influential Michigan Tech faculty members in recent history. In fact, it's hard to imagine the university without him, as he played a large role in planning and fund-raising for the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, helped transform the MTU Fine Arts division into a full-blown department, has grown the KSO, Michigan Tech Jazz Singers and Concert Choir and has influenced numerous students and musicians during his lengthy career.

"He's a visionary," said Mike Irish, director of jazz studies at Michigan Tech since 1991. "One of the things I really like about Milt is he treats everybody with respect."

Upon arrival in Houghton, Olsson made an interesting discovery. At a university not exactly known for its arts base, there was an abundance of musical talent just waiting to be groomed, something Olsson was not fully expecting.

"There are many engineering and science students with a strong background in music and want to continue to play or to sing and to do so on a very serious basis," he said. "They just don't want to make a career out of that.

"That was a surprise and an education, and that actually came to be the reason I stayed for so long."

In the following years, Olsson would found the MTU Chamber Chorus - which has performed all around the world - and help bridge the gap between the community and campus with the choir and orchestra, both of which contain students and non-students alike.

"I found that the community really welcomed me and have taken very strong part in both the choir and orchestra," Olsson said. "I've really had a wonderful go, as they say."

Among Olsson's proudest achievements is the Rozsa Center, which was in the works for a while before a new administration along with Olsson pushed it into development, according to Irish. The addition of the Rozsa was the culmination of a lot of work, and it finally paid off for Olsson.

"The arts moved from being an underground operation in the bottom of Douglass Houghton Hall to actually having an above ground existence in Walker and finally having a building constructed," he said.

When the building was under construction, Olsson organized the first official performance held at the Rozsa, a "concert" for the workers that was evident of his sense of humor.

"It was a noontime concert for the workers, the ceiling was still open, the sunshine was coming in," Irish said. "None of the seats were in so the workers were sitting around on the slabs there.

"He asked that I group together students that were there in the summer, so we're there onstage in hard hats and playing."

Now in his final year with the KSO, Olsson has been able to perform with artists that are especially important to him and the community including the Bergonzi String Quartet, Susan Byykkonen and White Water. His farewell tour finishes with a flair in April, as the choir and orchestra will both play at his final concert that will include a composition Olsson originally wrote for the opening of the Rozsa Center, called "Mass for Chorus and Orchestra."

"I would really not be shooting straight from the shoulder ... if I didn't look square in the mirror and say it was going to be emotional," Olsson said. "It's an emotional time right now, just the process."

Once retired, Olsson will spend more time with his children and grandchildren, all of whom live in the area, and composing - a passion currently difficult to cultivate for Olsson. Looking back on his storied and unexpected career, Olsson doesn't have many regrets.

"I think I've had a wonderful career here," he said. "I think we've done some really good things."

Zach Kukkonen can be reached at zkukkonen@ mininggazette.com.