Arthur Polson

Polson, Arthur (Ludwig). Violinist, composer, conductor, b Vancouver 2 Mar 1934, d there 25 Feb 2003. Polson began violin lessons with his father at four and studied subsequently in Vancouver and at the Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara, Calif, and privately in New York. He was a member 1954-62 of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (in 1958 he gave the Canadian premiere of the Shostakovitch Violin Concerto No. 1, with Irwin Hoffman conducting), concertmaster 1962-4 of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, and briefly (1965) deputy concertmaster of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. He played for 12 years in the Cassenti Players. He was concertmaster of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra 1966-86, of the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra 1970-86, and of the CBC Winnipeg Orchestra 1966-75, and conducted the latter frequently, introducing new works. He was also conductor 1966-72 of the Winnipeg Youth Orchestra. In 1967 he formed the Festival Quartet Canada and in 1970 he organized the Festival Players Canada which in the 1990s released CDs that included Polson’s Two Pieces for Violin and Piano. He performed as a soloist and chamber musician in Canada and the USA, appearing at Expo 67 and in 1966 and 1968 at the Stratford Festival. He taught 1970-1 at the University of Manitoba and was conductor of the Greater Winnipeg Schools’ Orchestra. In the fall of 1984 he was music director of the Royal Manitoba Festival celebrating the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Manitoba.On his return to Vancouver in 1986 he became co-concertmaster of the Vancouver Opera orchestra and from 1987-2003 was conductor of the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra. He led the VYSO orchestra on tours of Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Russia, Scotland, and Australia, and recorded several CDs with them. He also played in various chamber groups and performed as a freelance violinist until his death.