Meet the Conductor
Catherine Polglase
Artistic Manager, Orchestras Central Trust
Associate Conductor and String Tutor, Youth Orchestra Waikato
Conductor, Rusty Player Orchestra
She studied modern and baroque violin completing a Bachelor of Arts (Music and History) and Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) at University of Auckland. She studied conducting under Karyn Gryls, Rita Paczian and Chad Davenport while teaching in classroom, directing and conducting a range of music ensembles and orchestras in four large Auckland Music Departments from 1994 – 2003. Under Catherine’s direction Westlake Orchestra received the Most Outstanding Award for Senior Orchestra KBB Festival 2002 and Avondale Concert Band received Most Outstanding Award Senior Concert Band KBB Festival 2001. Since moving to Hamilton Catherine has performed on modern and baroque violin with NZ Barok, Opus and Vox Barok. In 2017 she was selected to be part of CMNZ Nelson Bach Residency working with Julliard 415 under Maasaki Suzuki.
