Biography: Thor Polson

It is not as if an individual’s life is fully defined by what he does for a living, but in the author’s case his professional activities and personal interests (languages, music, and practically any form of human expression, including writing) have overlapped almost entirely. What follows is a short curriculum vitae:

1957: Birth in Kansas City, Missouri
1965-67: Residence with family in Ernakulam, India
1967-73: Return to Kansas City
1973-75: Residence with family in Stavanger, Norway
1975-80: Undergraduate studies at Grinnell College in Iowa
1980-81: Wanderjahr (odd jobs throughout the United States)
1981-84: M. A. program in Latin at the University of Illinois in Urbana
1984-85: Wanderjahr (intensive Norwegian course at the University of Oslo and residence in Iowa City, Iowa; intensive reading period)
1985-86: Fulbright teaching assistantship at the Bundesgymnasium in Tulln, Austria
1986-89: M. A. program in Ancient Greek at the University of Missouri in Columbia
1989-92: Latin and Greek position at Thomas Jefferson School in Saint Louis, Missouri
1992-93: M. A. program in German at the Middlebury College campi in Middlebury, Vermont and Mainz, Germany
1993-94: Wanderjahr (residence in Coralville, Iowa)
1994-95: Latin and ancient-history position at the Key School in Annapolis, Maryland
1995-96: Wanderjahr (residence in Minneapolis, Minnesota)
1996-98: M. Phil. program in Ancient Greek at the University of St. Andrews in St. Andrews, Scotland
1998-99: Short-term residence in Tulln, Austria; classics position at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota
2000-01: Latin and German position at St. Mary’s School in Medford, Oregon
2001-02: Latin position at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota
2002- : Piano-teaching position at the Music Studios of Jan Erickson in Minneapolis, Minnesota
2003-2005: Latin position at St. Paul Academy
2005-07: Latin and Greek position at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota
2007- : Work as a professional musician in the Twin Cities