Arne Oldberg (1874-1962) was a composer whose works reflect both the last Romantic influences of the 19th century and the polyphonic, contrapuntal, and at times experimental innovations of the 20th century. He composed nine symphonies, a number of overtures, rhapsodies, symphonic poems, concertos, vocal works, chamber music, and a large body of music for the piano. Today he is considered a contemporary composer of music that is traditional in its lyric and melodic qualities and completely modern in its fluid form and variation.

Oldberg began his studies in 1890, Chicago, Illinois, with the renowned August Hyllested, and at sixteen won the George M. Pullman Diamond Medal for piano; in 1891, he won the Ziegfield Diamond Medal, and later in that year, performed with the Thomas Orchestra. He graduated with honors from the Gottschalk Lyric School and then studied for two years in Vienna under Theodor Leschetizky, the top-ranked piano teacher in the world at the time. In 1898, he studied under Joseph Rheinberger at Munich's Royal Academy of Art.

In 1899, Oldberg was appointed Professor of Music at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, where he remained as composer, teacher, and artist in residence until his retirement in 1941. During that time, he appeared as a concert pianist with numerous orchestras, especially the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, wrote and published his works, and taught hundreds of students. Awards and memberships are too numerous to list, but among them is a membership in the National Institute of Arts and Letters, an elected honor. He received the National Federation of Music Clubs award in the Biennial Prize Competition for American Composers in 1911. Besides his many years at Northwestern, Oldberg held the Alchin Chair of Music at UCLA and won first prize for his Piano Concerto Number 2 in A major, Opus 43, at the Hollywood Bowl Contest. In 1959, the Ohioana Career medal in Music was awarded him as a native son of Ohio, and Who's Who in America added his name to its roster of important composers.

Oldberg was a much loved person in Evanston, Illinois, throughout the many years of his residence there. A small park near the Northwestern School of Music was named for him, and his portrait was painted by Walt Otto. Currently, some music and documents of Oldberg's life are held at the Evanston Historical Society, The Los Angeles County Museum of History, Science, and Art, and in large part at the United States Library of Congress.