Michael Pollock - Pianist

Michael Pollock began his musical education as a chorister in Rochester Cathedral, England, where he also studied piano, organ and oboe. He later won a music scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford. During his three years there he appeared as accompanist in many concerts, and then went on to the Royal College of Music in London to study vocal accompaniment with Roger Vignoles.
On completion of his studies Michael was appointed to the music staff of Welsh National Opera, where he remained for over 20 years. During this time Michael worked closely with conductors such as Sir Reginald Goodall, Sir Charles Mackerras, Pierre Boulez and Carlo Rizzi, and was responsible for the musical preparation of more than seventy operas ranging from Monteverdi to Tippett (including most of the operas of Mozart, Wagner, Verdi, Puccini and Janacek). He has recently been appointed as Vocal Consultant to WNO. Elsewhere, Michael has worked as a repetiteur for Vancouver Opera and the Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris, and he regularly works for Music Theatre Wales. He is currently on the teaching staffs of the National Opera Studio and the Royal Academy of Music, and is Vice-Chairman of the Kenneth Loveland Gift.

Michael also manages to maintain an active career on the concert platform both in this country and abroad, and from 1989 to 1993 acted as official accompanist to the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. He has given recitals with Dame Anne Evans (including Brussels), Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (including a Far East tour), Dennis O'Neill (including Hong Kong and Singapore) and Willard White (at St James's Palace). In 2003 his concert diary includes recitals with Neal Davies, Rebecca Evans, Nuccia Focile, Kataina Karnéus (including Cheltenham Festival), Dennis O'Neill, Amanda Roocroft and Bryn Terfel (including Oslo and Stavanger).