Faculty

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Terry Pollak

Violin and Viola

Terry Pollak was one of the first teachers to begin teaching at The bART and taught the very first violin and viola students accepted to The Barthelmes Conservatory. Terry is currently a violist with the Tulsa Symphony and the Signature Symphony and Co-Director of the Tulsa Honors Baroque Orchestra. He attributes his abilities as a teacher, in part, to the fact that he had little musical talent and thus had to work diligently in learning to play the violin. Terry earned his Bachelor of Music degree from NTSU, and his Master of Music at SMU, where he studied with Erick Friedman, a protégé of Jascha Heifetz. He also completed a one-year doctoral residency at Florida State University, prior to accepting a position in the first violin section of the Jacksonville Symphony. He later studied viola at OU and soon began playing viola with the OKC Philharmonic. At OU he also played baroque violin and medieval fiddle in the Collegium and was invited to play with the Dallas Baroque Ensemble. Artists with whom Mr. Pollak has performed have included Willie Nelson, Henry Mancini, Rod Stewart, Mannheim Steamroller, and The Eagles.