Introduction

Biography

Oscar was the son of Ole Pe­der­son Ov­er­by and Anne Tors­dat­ter Thor­son, and hus­band of Ger­trude Boe.

He at­tend­ed Con­cor­dia Col­lege, Moor­head, Min­ne­so­ta (1910–15); the New Eng­land Con­ser­va­to­ry of Mu­sic, Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts (1915–16); the North­west­ern Con­ser­va­to­ry of Mu­sic, Min­ne­ap­olis (BM 1917); St. Ol­af Col­lege, North­field, Min­ne­so­ta (BM 1921); was a stu­dent at Co­lum­bia (1923–24); and re­ceived an hon­or­ary Doc­tor of Mu­sic from Au­gus­ta­na Col­lege, Rock Island, Il­li­nois, in 1957.

He was a mem­ber of the Min­ne­so­ta Edu­ca­tion­al As­so­cia­tion, and taught mu­sic at Con­cor­dia Col­lege (1912–15); Park Re­gion Lu­ther Col­lege, Fer­gus Falls, Min­ne­so­ta (1919–20); and St. Ol­af Col­lege (1921–50).

He was also a guest pro­fess­or and di­rect­or of mu­sic at Shi­mer Col­lege, Mount Car­roll, Il­li­nois (1948–49).