San Francisco Academy Orchestra
Faculty
​​
​Wyatt Underhill, Associate CM, SFS
David Chernyavsky, violinist, SFS
Matthew Young, viola (on leave)
Katarzyna Bryla, violist, SFS
Amos Yang, Assistant Principal Cellist SFS
Charles Chandler, bassist, SFS
Polina Sedukh began studying violin at the age of four with her father Grigory Sedukh, and Savely Shalman. She is a graduate of Special Music School of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, and the Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory, where she studied under the guidance of Lev Ivaschenko and Vladimir Ovtcharek. She also holds Artist Diploma from Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA, where she studied with Laura Bossert and Malcolm Lowe.
​
Prizewinner of the International Spohr Competition in Weimar, Germany, Ms. Sedukh made her solo debut at the age of seven with the Chamber Orchestra of Liepaya, Latvia, followed by recital tours in USA, Germany and Austria. She has since appeared as soloist with St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, Boston Virtuosi Orchestra, St.Petersburg Capella Symphony Orchestra, Newton Symphony Orchestra and Weimer State Capella Orchestra. Ms. Sedukh with cellist, Terry King, presented the world premiere of Vladimir Uspensky’s Double Concerto at the International St. Petersburg Spring Music Festival in 2001.
​
Following her passion for symphonic music, Ms. Sedukh pursued a career in major American orchestras, serving as a member of Boston Symphony Orchestra from 2004 to 2007, and collaborating with San Francisco Symphony since 2007. Ms. Sedukh has joined San Francisco Symphony as a member of 2nd violin section in 2009, where she is serving to the present time. In 2015 Ms. Sedukh was appointed Principal Second violinist of Sun Valley Music Festival.
​
Upon moving to San Francisco Bay Area in 2007, Ms. Sedukh has made numerous solo appearances with Russian Chamber Orchestra, and also with San Francisco Academy Orchestra. In 2014 her engagements included collaboration with pianist Kirill Gerstein and members of San Francisco Symphony in a performance of Shostakovich Piano Quintet in Davies Symphony Hall. In 2015 Ms. Sedukh was featured in San Francisco Symphony subscription series concert as the second violinist in Beethoven Quartet op. 74. Same year, Ms. Sedukh joined Bronfman Quartet where she is presently the second violinist. In September 2019, Ms. Sedukh has participated in a joint project by Metallica and San Francisco Symphony, S&M2, and has been displayed as a member of the orchestra in S&M2 movie released in theaters worldwide in October 2019.