Sarah Pollard

Flutist Sarah Pollard is Assistant Principal Flute and Piccolo of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Prior to this she was Principal Flute of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, and Second Flute and Piccolo of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra.

As a chamber musician Sarah has performed with numerous ensembles, a highlight of which was performing Boulez’s infamous Le marteau sans maître in the Ottawa Chamberfest’s New Music Now Festival. She has also participated in several other chamber music festivals across Canada, including Banff’s Evolution: Classical festival directed by the Gryphon Trio, and the Bathurst Chamberfest in New Brunswick.

A passionate teacher, Sarah recently joined the faculty at the University of Alberta. Prior to this, she taught private flute students of all ages across Canada. She has been invited to adjudicate for the Hnatyshyn Foundation’s Developing Artist Grant, the Lakehead Festival of Music and the Arts, and has coached the flutists of the Durham Youth Orchestra and the Québec Youth Wind Ensemble.

Recognized as one of CBC Music’s 2023 “30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians Under 30,” Sarah is a graduate of The Glenn Gould School, McGill University and the University of Toronto, where she studied with eminent Canadian flutists Susan Hoeppner, Carolyn Christie, Nora Shulman and Peg Albrecht. She is an alumna of several music festivals and orchestral training programs, including the National Academy Orchestra of Canada, the Orchestra of the Americas OAcademy, the National Repertory Orchestra (Colorado), and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestral Institute at Whistler. In masterclasses, music academies and private coachings, Sarah has had the opportunity to work with renowned flutists Denis Bluteau, Jennifer Gunn (piccolo), Jeffery Zook (Piccolo), Emmanuel Pahud, Leone Buyse, Jeanne Baxtresser, William Bennett, Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson, Demarre McGill, Kelly Zimba, Joanna G’froerer, Henrik Heide, Agata Igras, Robert Langevin, and Claire Guimond (Baroque flute).