Lindsey Strand-Polyak is honored to be serving as the Seattle Baroque Orchestra musicians representative on the EMS Board. In addition to her concert career, Dr. Strand-Polyak is a passionate educator and arts advocate, working with organizations including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Young Musicians Foundation, Education through Music-Los Angeles, Elemental Music, and the UCLA Mentor Outreach Program. In two decades in education and outreach, she has taught in nearly every corner of Southern California, from Compton to Claremont, Whittier to West Hollywood, and Santa Monica to Sherman Oaks, while witnessing the immense impact that arts education makes across the economic spectrum.
Dr. Strand-Polyak believes that historical performance and early music should be accessible to everyone, which has led to her directing community ensembles, advising organizations and undertaking artist residencies throughout the country. Guest talks and residencies have included University of Southern California, University of Oregon, Northwestern State University of Louisiana, University of Richmond, Sacramento State University, Montana State University, University of Northern Colorado, and California State University-Fullerton. With Elisabeth LeGuin, she restarted the UCLA Early Music Ensemble, which had lain dormant for more than 20 years, and then served as Associate Director. In 2016, she co-founded the community baroque orchestra Los Angeles Baroque with cellist Alexa Haynes-Pilon and currently serves as its Artistic Director. In 2021-22, Dr. Strand-Polyak consulted with and designed workshops for Bitterroot Baroque in Hamilton, MT, and served as Artistic Advisor to Kensington Baroque Orchestra in San Diego. She is also on the board of Pacific Northwest Viols.
Lindsey's pandemic projects have included exploring three-viol repertory with the Downtempo Divas; practicing the bass viola da gamba; recording a forthcoming studio album at the Jack Straw Cultural Center; learning wheel-thrown pottery (on Instagram @baroquenpottery); and cooking her way through most of Yotam Ottolenghi’s Simple.