Fenwick Smith
Encyclopedia
Fenwick Smith is an American flautist
. He studied under Joseph Mariano at the Eastman School of Music
, graduating from there in 1972. Shortly thereafter he became a member of the New England Woodwind Quintet and began a thirteen year membership with Boston Musica Viva
. He became the assistant principal flutist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
in 1978, serving in that position until September 2006. During this time he was also principal flutist of the Boston Pops Orchestra
. Smith has also been a member of the Boston Chamber Music Society
since 1984, and since 1983 has given annual recitals at Jordan Hall
.
Smith has a reputation for playing new works and has notably made numerous premiere recordings of works by composers like Copland
, Foote
, Gaubert
, Ginastera
, Koechlin
, Dahl
, Harbison
, Cage
, Pinkham
, Erwin Schulhoff
, Schuller
, Schoenberg
, Ned Rorem
, and Reinecke
. He is currently on the faculty of the New England Conservatory.
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
. He studied under Joseph Mariano at the Eastman School of Music
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...
, graduating from there in 1972. Shortly thereafter he became a member of the New England Woodwind Quintet and began a thirteen year membership with Boston Musica Viva
Boston Musica Viva
Boston Musica Viva is a Boston, Massachusetts-based music ensemble founded by its Music Director, Richard Pittman, in 1969 and dedicated to contemporary music.-Composers and compositions:...
. He became the assistant principal flutist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
in 1978, serving in that position until September 2006. During this time he was also principal flutist of the Boston Pops Orchestra
Boston Pops Orchestra
The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in playing light classical and popular music....
. Smith has also been a member of the Boston Chamber Music Society
Boston Chamber Music Society
The Boston Chamber Music Society is an American organization of musicians located in Boston, Massachusetts and dedicated to the performance and promotion of chamber music. The organization performs works from the Baroque era to the present day and is a member of Chamber Music America...
since 1984, and since 1983 has given annual recitals at Jordan Hall
Jordan Hall
Jordan Hall is a 1,019-seat concert hall in Boston, Massachusetts, the principal performance space of the New England Conservatory. It is one block from Boston's Symphony Hall, and together they are considered two of America's most acoustically perfect performance spaces...
.
Smith has a reputation for playing new works and has notably made numerous premiere recordings of works by composers like Copland
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music. He was instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, and is often referred to as "the Dean of American Composers"...
, Foote
Arthur Foote
Arthur William Foote was an American classical composer, and a member of the "Boston Six." The other five were George Whitefield Chadwick, Amy Beach, Edward MacDowell, John Knowles Paine, and Horatio Parker.The modern tendency is to view Foote’s music as “Romantic” and “European” in light of the...
, Gaubert
Philippe Gaubert
Philippe Gaubert was a French musician who was a distinguished performer on the flute, a respected conductor, and a composer, primarily for the flute....
, Ginastera
Alberto Ginastera
Alberto Evaristo Ginastera was an Argentine composer of classical music. He is considered one of the most important Latin American classical composers.- Biography :...
, Koechlin
Charles Koechlin
Charles Louis Eugène Koechlin was a French composer, teacher and writer on music. He was a political radical all his life and a passionate enthusiast for such diverse things as medieval music, The Jungle Book of Rudyard Kipling, Johann Sebastian Bach, film stars , travelling, stereoscopic...
, Dahl
Ingolf Dahl
Ingolf Dahl was a German-born American composer, pianist, conductor, and educator.-Biography:Born in Hamburg, Germany to a German father and a Swedish mother, his birth name was Walter Ingolf Marcus. He studied with Philipp Jarnach at the Hochschule für Musik Köln...
, Harbison
John Harbison
John Harris Harbison is an American composer, best known for his operas and large choral works.-Life:...
, Cage
John Cage
John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
, Pinkham
Daniel Pinkham
Daniel Rogers Pinkham, Jr. was an American composer, organist, and harpsichordist. Pinkham was one of America's most active composers during his lifetime...
, Erwin Schulhoff
Erwin Schulhoff
Erwin Schulhoff was a Czech composer and pianist.-Life:Born in Prague of Jewish-German origin, Schulhoff was one of the brightest figures in a generation of European musicians whose successful careers were prematurely terminated by the rise of the Nazi regime in Germany...
, Schuller
Schuller
Schuller is the surname of:* Eugène Schueller - founder of L'Oréal* Tom Schueller* Christina Schuller, see People on Laguna Beach* Gunther Schuller, musician* Hans Schüller, ralley driver* Heidi Schüller, athlete...
, Schoenberg
Schoenberg
Schoenberg is the surname of several persons:* Arnold Schoenberg , Austrian-American composer* Claude-Michel Schoenberg , French record producer, actor, singer, popular songwriter, and musical theatre composer...
, Ned Rorem
Ned Rorem
Ned Rorem is a Pulitzer prize-winning American composer and diarist. He is best known and most praised for his song settings.-Life:...
, and Reinecke
Carl Reinecke
Carl Heinrich Carsten Reinecke was a German composer, conductor, and pianist.-Biography:Reinecke was born in Altona, Hamburg, Germany; until 1864 the town was under Danish rule. He studied with his father, Johann Peter Rudolph Reinecke, a music teacher...
. He is currently on the faculty of the New England Conservatory.
Recordings
- Schulhoff & Schoenberg - Chamber Works: Schoenberg: Sonata after the Wind Quintet, Op. 26, Schulhoff: Sonata for Flute and Piano, Concertino for flute, viola & double bass. Fenwick Smith (flute) & Randall Hodkinson (piano) (Chandos CHAN10515)
- Reinecke - From the Cradle to the Grave : Reinecke: Octet for Flute, Oboe, 2 Clarinets, 2 Horns and 2 Bassoons, Op. 216, Von der Wiege bis zum Grabe, Op. 202, Sextet in B flat major, Op. 271. Fenwick Smith (flute), Keisuke Wakao (oboe), Thomas Martin (clarinet), Craig Nordstrom (clarinet), Jonathan Menkis (horn), Daniel Katzen (horn), Richard Ranti (bassoon), Roland Small (bassoon) & Hugh Hinton (piano) Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Naxos 8570777)