Polk State Music students learn from accomplished musician and professor

In addition to getting to study and perform at Polk State College’s newly renovated Winter Haven Fine Arts Building (WFA), students in The Arts Program also have a unique opportunity to learn from those working professionally as artists.

For almost three hours on April 10, Polk State Music students worked with accomplished musician Zachary Bartholomew. A jazz artist from Miami, Bartholomew is an award-winning composer and pianist.

“I’ve learned how to practice improv from a simpler approach,” said student Carmine Burke, a trumpet player and freshman at Polk State. “I’m going to practice, practice, practice. Getting an opportunity to learn from the best is a great experience. It’s great to be able to learn and grow.”

Bartholomew spent the first 90 minutes lecturing on improvisation in jazz. For the final hour, he coached and played alongside the students.

“I want them to learn how to practice,” Bartholomew explained. “Improvisation can be scary or nebulous sometimes. I hope this inspires curiosity, so they’re hopefully going to seek new things on their own.”

“I enjoyed how he explained using notes from the blue scale,” said saxophonist Anna Nazario, an 11th-grade student at Polk State Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School. “It really taught me how to improvise.”

A longtime educator, Bartholomew placed in the top three in the prestigious Jacksonville Jazz Competition in consecutive years in 2016 and 2017. He’s been awarded the Artist Performance on Tour Grant each year from the State of Florida since 2021.

“This was a lesson for me as well,” said Tom Witek, Polk State Professor of Music. “I love learning things from great teachers. Zach is an expert, and this is a great opportunity to expand our students’ horizons.”

“We learned to play, rest, and think about what’s next,” freshman Josh Castor, a baritone saxophonist, noted. “Tom is excellent at getting us out of our shell. Zach was great at getting us to improvise.”

In addition to being an accomplished musician who has played at national and international festivals, Bartholomew is also a full-time professor at Florida Memorial University. Bartholomew said it was teachers who inspired him to pursue his passion for music.

“I love teaching,” he added. “I want students to have opportunities they otherwise might not and be a resource for them to learn.”

The Arts programs at Polk State include Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Recent upgrades to the Polk State Winter Haven Fine Arts Building (WFA) included state-of-the-art renovations to the band and music rooms, practice rooms, dressing areas, gallery, theater, and many of the classrooms for Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts students.

In addition to academic studies, each area of The Arts offers students numerous performance and exhibition opportunities throughout Polk County. Led by faculty members with decades of experience in music and music education, the Music Program emphasizes versatility, preparing students to build careers based on their passion.

Enrollment is open for the summer semester which starts on May 7. Open enrollment for the Fall 2025 Semester will begin on May 27, with classes starting on August 11.

“It’s an opportunity you won’t get at a lot of places, especially for someone in my grade,” Nazario added. “The professors have a lot of knowledge. It’s good to hear different points of view. I’ve really enjoyed it.”