Wednesday, September 12, 1990 - North Shore News - 25 Arthur Polson shatters the stereotype APILANO COLLEGE Orchestra leader Ar- thur Polson shatters my stereotypical image ot a conductor — a humorless. wild-eyed musical tyrant — the instant he pulls out a tiny black case and reveals his first-ever violin. Polson is immediately transtormed into the four-year-old to whom his father first presented the instru. ment, fashioned trom preces of used apple crates. “My dad played country and western violin with a 20s group called the Bar-X Cowboys and he and my mother loved classical music.” Polson recalls in the living room of his west side home, EVELYN JACOB spotlight feature “They found the best teachers for me and my dad made me this violin,’’ he says admiring the in- strument as if he had only just received it. Polson’s fingers may have outgrown his beloved violin, but his passion has not. His entire musical career — spanning some 30 years — has been devoted to the instrument. For 20 vears this gentle man held the position of concertmaster for the Winnipeg Symphony Or- chestra, parting ways in 1986 when relations with conductor Kazuhiro Koizumi soured. He's written over 100 compositions and has worked successfully as both a freelancer and soloist. And Polson doesn’t confine himself to purcly classical tunes. He also enjoys popular and jazz music, which he plays on the elec- tric violin, known as the RAAD or “rock violin.” (A futuristic-look- ing violin, the RAAD was devel- oped by cellist Richard Armin, a former member of the rock band Lighthouse). “it’s an interesting insteu- ment,”’ says Polson, pulling out his own RAAD. “‘It has settings that allow you to change the quality and timbre of sound. You can just turn up the volume, but it’s sen- sitive. Hf you don't play accurately you can’t cover it up.” For the past few months Polson, or ‘White Socks’” — the nickname his colleagues gave him iin [CASEY & FINNEGAN appearing at: NORTH VANCOUVER CENTENNIAL THEATER Thursday, October 11 & Friday, October 12 MASSEY THEATRE, NEW WESTMINSTER Saturday, October 13 & Sunday, October 14 ON SALE NOW at all Ticketmaster Outlets asa young man because his white sacks were always noticcable dur- ing recitals — has been iavol ed in the mega-production Les Miserables and, at the time of the interview, he'd just returned by helicopter trom a stintas Con: certmaster for the Whistler Mozart Festival, All of which explains why he’s looking o bet treed this marning. But Polson doesn't seam bothered by the heavy workload. In tact he loves doing a bundred things at ance. Right now he’s yearning up tora November Orpheum gala conced celebrating the 60th anniversary oF the Vancouver Youth Orchestra (Polson has been musical director and conductor or the V¥O since September 1987) and he's been busy organizing a spectal warkshop tor the VYO: Next May swolin wazacd Yehudi Menuhin will work with his students fora full day asa tavor to Polson, And last year he did the un- thinkable: he added yet another responsibility to an already taxing agenda to become musical direc tor and conductor of Capilano College Orchestra. Polsan says he has so far en: yoved his new posting. but admits his tirst season had its difficulties. “Unhke other orchestras vou're dealing with some students, some amateurs and some semi- See Cap Pave 26 sports ‘experts sports. experts ‘sports 6xperts. sports experts sports experts sports experts LE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE Sports experts. sports experts. 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