Linsey Pollak is an Australian musician, instrument maker, composer, musical director and community music facilitator. Pollak studied classical clarinet until age 19. Then, at university, he started making and selling bamboo

flutes The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

. He dropped out in the second year of

physiology Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical ...

to get more time to make instruments. Pollak has recorded 31 albums. He toured his solo shows extensively in Europe, North America and Asia as well as performing at most major festivals around Australia. He has devised many large festival pieces such as 'BimBamBoo' and 'Sound Forest', as well as collaborating on many music and theatre projects around Australia. Pollak helped establish the now defunct 'Kulcha', The Multicultural Arts Centre of Western Australia, and has co-ordinated five cross-cultural music ensembles. Pollak has also worked as a musical instrument maker for 40 years and has designed a number of new wind instruments. He has specialized in

woodwind Woodwind instruments are a family of musical instruments within the greater category of wind instruments. Common examples include flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone. There are two main types of woodwind instruments: flutes and re ...

instruments from Eastern Europe such as the Macedonian

gaida A gaida is a bagpipe from Southeastern Europe. Southern European bagpipes known as ''gaida'' include: the , , (), () () or (), ''(')'', , also . Construction Bag Gaida bags are generally of sheep or goat hide. Different regions have ...

. Pollak lives in

Maleny Maleny (pronounced ''mah-lay-knee'') is a rural town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. At the , the locality of Maleny had a population of 3,959 people. Maleny was a timber town ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

. He creates musical instruments from unlikely objects such as vegetables. Pollak was awarded the Medal of the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gov ...

in the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours, for "service to the performing arts, and to music".

References

External links

* Australian musicians Australian musical instrument makers Living people Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia Year of birth missing (living people) {{Australia-musician-stub