ArtistInfo

Paul Smith

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Musician / Composer of Classical

Classical Guitarist, Composer, Educator Paul Smith is an active composer, performer, and educator. He is currently the Assistant Director and Site Coordinator of The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra’s Tune Up Philly program. Launched in 2010, Tune Up Philly is an El Sistema inspired program designed to nurture children in challenging economic and social conditions through an intensive after-school orchestral training program. Tune Up Philly embodies social change and community outreach through empowering young performers to engage their communities with collaborative concerts, side by side performances, peer mentoring, and by teaching audiences to become a part of their orchestra. As a performer, Mr. Smith has premiered dozens of works to include the premiere of Robert Cuckson’s “Concerto for Guitar” with the Mannes Orchestra under David Hayes and the premiere recording on the Vienna Modern Masters label of David Loeb’s “Asian Fantasias” for solo guitar. He received his Bachelors of Music from the Mannes College of Music studying under Frederic Hand where he was awarded the Associated Music Teacher’s award. Mr. Smith received a Masters Degree from The Juilliard School where he studied under Sharon Isbin and was a recipient of the McCabe Fellowship award, specializing in creating performance based educational outreach programs. He has performed with The New Juilliard Ensemble, ICE, and has received intensive baroque performance coaching from Lionel Party. Mr. Smith’s compositions have been featured in venues ranging from Alice Tully Hall, to Seoul, Korea, and receives regular commissions for new works. His voice and guitar ensemble, The Spoon River Duo, specializes in works for the classical guitar and voice medium and has also premiered numerous commissions. Mr. Smith developed an after school enrichment program at The School at Columbia University.