He spent his career on the faculty of Northwestern University (1897–1941), where he taught piano and composition and, from 1924 until his retirement in 1941, served as director of the graduate department of the Music School.

Among his students were composers Howard Hanson,[1] Cecilia Clare Bocard, Theodora Troendle, Mildred Lund Tyson,[2] and Ella May Walker.

[3] He began studying the piano at an early age, initially under the tutelage of his father, Oscar, a Swedish pharmaceutical chemist and amateur musician, and later at the Chicago Musical College under August Hyllested (1888–1892).

In 1898, he returned to Europe for one year to study composition with Josef Rheinberger at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich.

[8] Additional archival collections containing manuscripts and papers from Oldberg's career are held at Northwestern University[9] and the Eastman School of Music.