Personal Details

 

Address: 89 Gertrude Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NRG 4SG

Email: danieljamiepolak@danieljamiepolak.com

Phone : +44(0)7449327060

 

Daniel Jamie Polak is a graduate and practitioner of the arts. Currently he works as a composer for the Hihi Trust and as a self-employed designer. He is fluent in the Adobe creative suite as well as Sibelius, Ableton live, Pro Tools and AutoCAD. References will be made available upon request.

 

http://danieljamiepolak5.wix.com/composer   

https://soundcloud.com/danieljamiepolak 

http://www.last.fm/music/Cowslip+Sunday?ac=cowslip

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-36qxkqR-by3xUW2IBDh7_R-XesFWAjh (showreel)

 

Work Experience

 

Arts Practitioner & Designer (2012 - ongoing): Please see www.danieljamiepolak.com for my personal photography and animation portfolio.

http://www.watchshop.com: for commercial, 3D photography and videography.

www.therealgardengarden.co.uk for garden and furniture design work.

www.hihitrust.org as a composer/sound designer, please see

http://danieljamiepolak5.wix.com/composer for sound recordings.

 

English Teacher (2011): Working for the company Ingles Corporativo in Guadalajara, Mexico.

 

Music Tutor (2009-2011): Classical Guitar; working from a student’s home I would teach lessons in composition, reading and ear training. We would also examine the history of the guitar and the many genre/styles of guitar playing.

 

Luthier (208-2009): Works undertaken on behalf of Woldren Flutes; duties included the design, manufacture and repair of musical instruments. Occasional performance duties were expected also.

 

Luthier/Retail Assistant (2007): Duties included the production, design and repair of harps, details of said harps maybe found at; www.stoneyend.com. General woodworking and maintenance duties were undertaken; I also gave guided tours of the workshop and harp making process. Retail assistant duties were required of me as and when needed as well (www.hobgoblin-usa.com/).

 

Education

 

The NSAD: Visual Studies: Photography & Film Sep 03 - Jun 06, B.A (hons) 2:1

 

NCN: Diploma in Foundation Studies: Art & Design

Sep 02 - Jun 03, ABC: Merit/Pass

 

William Lee 6th Form: 2 A-levels: 1 B-grade at Art and Design & 1 D grade at Business Studies

Sep 00 - Jun 02

 

Colonel Frank Seely Secondary School: 9 G.C.S.E’s: 1 B-grade at Art and Design, 7 C-grades at Design & Technology, English Lan, English Lit, History, Mathematics, Science (double award) and 1 E-grade at German

Sep 95 - Jun 00

 

TRAINING

 

My training began in 2003 at was then known as the Norwich School of Art and Design. I had enrolled to the ‘Visual Studies’ degree program and it was here where I studied fine art; film and photography. Consequently I became proficient with many of the associated industry standard software, namely the Adobe creative suite and Final Cut Pro. I also became adept in the practical areas of photography and film, such as lighting, writing, mise-en-scene staging, composition and editing. I feel that my greatest achievement through undertaking this degree culminated in the production of a low budget feature film, it was entitled 'Bird Watching' (dogme95 #99) which features as part of the Dogme95 catalogue. This project also gave me my first taste of working with and directing an ensemble. As the director it was my responsibility to coordinate this production by best deploying the people with whom I was working. During my time at university I also exhibited several of my prints within galleries both locally at the Norwich Arts Centre and abroad with organisations such as the Fluctuating Images Gallery in Stuttgart and the Vilnius University in Lithuania.

 

LUTHIER

 

After graduating with a degree in the visual arts I wanted to return to the work I had begun with music as an adolescent. As a teen I had recorded and performed my own music and desperately wanted to continue with what I regarded as my 'first love'. I decided I wanted to learn more about music by being involved with the design and construction of musical instruments. As this would give me the opportunity to learn about and develop many things, namely acoustics, woodworking, engineering, design and project management.

 

In 2007 I began work as an apprentice Luthier, with the Gary Stone of Stoney Eng Harps, MN. Together we made the traditional folk-harps or 'Clarsachs' of Britain and Ireland. Whilst working with Gary I was able to develop my skills as a woodworker and artisan, becoming proficient in both machine work and hand finishing. I feel that my own practical skills increased dramatically over this period and consequently I had developed considerably with regards to solving problems and managing projects effectively and creatively, consequently upon my return to the United Kingdom I found employment working with a company called Woldren flutes that specialised in the manufacture of renaissance and baroque wind instruments.

 

Pictures and audio files of the musical instruments may be found here: http://www.stoneyend.com/

 

MUSIC TEACHER

 

Over time I have founding myself working freelance as a teacher of music, primarily teaching the classical guitar to students of various ages either on a one-to-one basis or in a group setting, often I find this to be the most challenging and rewarding element of my practise as I have to encourage and cultivate the aspirations of my students whilst maintaining a strong focus on the goals we have set. Through teaching I am able to offer my insight as a musician and Luthier, through the structure of my lessons, which feature a strong compositional element. Consequently I feel able to work collaboratively with a student and share in the creative process with them.

 

To a limited extent I also taught from the harp, keyboard, harmonica and flute so that my students and I might compose and record arrangements together. I found this practise greatly encouraged my students ambitions as it provided them with a sense achievement and allowed them to take something away from their lessons that they could keep.

 

COMPOSER

 

After many years of writing, recording and learning I have found employment as a composer with the Hihi film and video game trust. As a gamer of many years myself, working on this project has been a dream come true and at present the video game, which is currently in development, is being prepared for an initial crowdfunding scheme in order to further develop the project. Links to the project and music recorded for it may be found below.

 

Hihi link: http://www.hihitrust.org/

Music links: http://danieljamiepolak5.wix.com/composer https://soundcloud.com/danieljamiepolak http://www.reverbnation.com/cowslipsunday

 

Working for the Hihi trust has proven to be an enormous challenge, but one that has been immensely rewarding. Through working with the project manager and the other members of the game team, I have taken on board feedback and on many occasions the initiative in order to produce the score for this video game. The learning curve has been steep as I have often been asked to write music of a style that I had not written before, or to use instruments and arrangements that I have been unfamiliar with. However the work has been incredibly satisfying and I have had the opportunity to write music through playing this game as it has been developed. Often responding to situations as and when they arise.

 

Prior to this I had been writing and composing music for a number of years, namely other projects involving my work with film and animation. I have also worked to an extent under the pseudonym 'Cowslip Sunday' who is a pianist that writes musical scores for the purpose of using them as graffiti.

 

OTHER WORK EXPERIENCES

 

During the time I spent working with Gary Stone I was able to utilise some of the skills I had already developed at college and help realise a theatre production by working alongside the ‘Red Wing Community Theatre Trust’ on a production of Harold Pinter’s ‘The Dumb Waiter’ and subsequently on my return home I worked alongside the ‘Southwell Arts Theatre’ in a production of ‘The Ice Palace’ and ‘The Death of a Salesman’. My capacity within each of these productions ranged from working as a sound engineer, choreographer of lighting and set designer. I consider these valuable and relevant experiences, mostly as they furnished me with the experience of working as part of a large team in a variety of capacities that could immediately be put to use within a professional environment.

 

Prior to this, I had volunteered with the National Trust for Scotland, whilst working with the Trust I assisted with the coordination of the education department by helping organise and run the various educational seminars, workshops and tours which took place within the visitor centre gallery and auditorium. My duties included researching and designing materials for distribution and inclusion within the various events held by the Trust and also through liaising with the public, particularly through the ‘Young Naturalists’ group as a guide and tutor. It was my role within the ‘Young Naturalists’ to help communicate and bestow a sense of importance about the natural and cultural heritage of the Scottish Highlands, so that they might grow up valuing their surroundings. This attitude, I believe helps cements a community and secures it for generations to come. This is a belief I carried forth into my next role as a music teacher and one that I shall carry forth into any position thereafter. Additionally; I also performed the many typical environmental and conservation duties involved with being a wildlife ranger and due to often the hazardous nature of this work, my knowledge of health and safety, risk assessment and personal insurance was tested by my immediate superiors. I was also CRB checked and had some degree of responsibility with safeguarding children. Further requirements of this position included taking responsibility for fundraising and managing a team of junior volunteers.

 

Currently I also work as a photographer and garden designer, in both a commercial and arts environment. Examples of my photography and design work may be found at www.danieljamiepolak.com and www.therealgarden.co.uk.