Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival Executive Director, violinist Olga Smola, originally from Russia, is celebrated for her versatility and charismatic stage presence—moving fluidly between classical, jazz, rock, and electronic styles. A graduate of the Moscow State Conservatory (DMA), she has performed across Europe and the United States as a soloist, chamber musician, and “violin DJ.”
Olga serves on the faculty of the University of Nebraska at Omaha School of Music and is a Touring Artist with the Nebraska Arts Council. Her creative work extends to theater, where she received two Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards—Best Music Directorfor Indecent (2019) and Best Sound Design for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (2022). Since 2022, she has led the Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival, fostering cross-cultural collaborations and community connection through music.