Nicholas Michael Smith
Nicholas Michael Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1967 |
| Alma mater | St John’s College Cambridge |
| Occupation(s) | Classical conductor and composer |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Spouse | Shen Yue (pianist) |
Nicholas Michael Smith OBE (Chinese: 尼克 史密斯; pinyin: Níkè Shǐmìsī) is a British conductor, composer, sinologist, and music educator.
Since 1994, Smith has lived and worked in the People's Republic of China, where he conducted many of the country's first performances of major western classical orchestral and choral works.[1]
Smith has been the subject of documentaries and interviews on Chinese television and radio, and has been awarded in China and the United Kingdom for his contributions to classical music performance and education.[1][2][3]
In 2011, Smith received an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his services to Sino-British relations.[4]
Biography
Born in 1967, Smith grew up in the United Kingdom attending Exeter School. He read music at St John’s College Cambridge (1987-90) under Robin Holloway and Martin Ennis.
In 1994, he moved to Wuhan, China to establish a post-graduate course in music theory at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music.
After relocating to Beijing in 1995, Smith began working with professional musicians, conservatories, and the Beijing Concert Hall on educational concerts to foster interest in western classical music with Chinese audiences. In 1997, Smith founded the Peking Sinfonietta and, in 2002, the Beijing International Festival Chorus, serving as artistic director and chief conductor.[1][3]
Smith conducted the first performances in the People’s Republic of China of Bach’s St John Passion, Handel’s Coronation Anthems, Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, Tallis’ Spem in Alium, Vaughan-Williams’ A Sea Symphony, Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto and Symphony of Psalms, Britten’s Spring Symphony, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius, Strauss’ Metamorphosen for 23 Strings, David Fanshawe’s African Sanctus, as well as China’s first fully staged Broadway musical, Kurt Weill’s Lady in the Dark, featuring leads from London’s West End. [1]
Smith has conducted many Chinese and international soloists, ensembles, and orchestras on Chinese tour, including soprano Dame Emma Kirkby, violinists Kenneth Renshaw and Lü Siqing, British tenor Justin Lavender, the China Philharmonic Orchestra, the China National Film Symphony Orchestra, China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater, the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Teatro Lirico Sperimentale, and Percussions Claviers de Lyon.
In 2016 and 2018, Smith conducted a series of concerts at London’s Cadogan Hall to raise the profile of Chinese music traditions in the UK, performing Xian Xinghai’s Yellow River Cantata, choral arrangements of Chinese folk songs, and his own vocal settings of Tang poetry. Working with Canadian composer David Braid, Smith created an improvisational work fusing of Chinese traditional folk music with jazz piano and chopsticks.[5][6]
Smith has worked with Chinese author Hong Ying composing incidental music for her children’s book The Girl from the French Fort, premiering the work at Beijing Concert Hall in 2016. Smith has also translated several of Hong Ying’s children’s books into English.[7]
In 2019, Smith's recording of the oratorio Corona Divinae Misericordiae by David Braid with soprano Patricia O'Callaghan was nominated for a Juno Award for 'Classical Album of the Year'.[8]
In 2020, his recording of works by British composer Ed Hughes with The New Music Players, Ed Hughes: Time, Space & Change, was nominated by The Sunday Times as one of their 'Best Albums of 2020'.[9]
Appointments
In 2007, Smith was appointed an honorary professor of conducting at the China Conservatory of Music. In 2012, has was appointed an honorary professor of the Tianjin Conservatory of Music. He also serves as a governor of Harrow School, Beijing.[10]
Personal Life
Smith lives in Beijing with his wife, pianist Shen Yue, and their son.
Compositions and Projects
Orchestral
- Tears From My Bowl, 2015
- An Englishman in Beijing, 2015, published by JC Link Music
- Changchun Impressions, 2016
- The Girl From the French Fort, 2016, incidental music to accompany story by Hong Ying (first performed Beijing Concert Hall, 2016)
Choral
- Mass for St Barnabas, 1987
- Introit, 1990, text from Psalm 31, (first performed by Wells Cathedral Choir, conducted by Andrew Nethsingha)
- Vegetable Picking Song, 1997, Sichuan folksong arr. for SATB choir
- Rainy Day, 2015, Guangdong folksong arr. for SATB or SSA choir
Vocal
- Two Poems, 1990, text by Robert Frost, (written for Jeremy Huw Williams, first performed at St John’s College, Cambridge 1990)
- Love, Friendship and Longing, 2018, Tang poetry arr. for SATB soloists and piano duet (first performed Cadogan Hall, London, 2018)
Solo and Chamber Instrumental
- Maluccio, 1990, for organ (written for Andrew Nethsingha, first performed at St. John’s College, Cambridge 1990)
- Four Microscopic Duets, 1990, piano duet
- Memories of Childhood, 2019, piano duet, published by JC Link Music
- Waiting, 2020, for trumpet and piano, dedicated to Morris Sebastianutto [11]
Arrangements
- XIAN Xinghai Music Collection I for Band, 2022, music by XIAN Xinghai, arr. for symphonic band by Nicholas M Smith, published by JC Link Music
Discography
| Title | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| British Celebration | 2016 |
|
| British Celebration 2 | 2017 |
|
| David Braid: Corona Divinae Misericordiae | 2018 |
|
| Ed Hughes: Time, Space, and Change | 2020 |
|
References
- ^ a b c d "音乐告诉你- 我是尼克 (Program: Music tells you, Episode: I'm Nick)" (Video Documentary). China Central Television 15 (in Chinese). China Central television. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ "Foreigners charm China". Global Times. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ a b "Nicholas Smith: You Bring Charm To China" (Video). Youku (in Chinese). Phoenix TV. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ "New Year honours list: diplomatic service and overseas". The Guardian. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ McNeice, Angus (21 December 2016). "Sino-UK choir adds new sound to festive offerings". China Daily. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ Hum, Peter (4 August 2014). "Five questions for David Braid". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ Yi, Xing (6 May 2015). "Maker of Myth". China Daily. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ "2019 AWARD NOMINEE Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral 2019". Juno Awards. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ "The Best Albums of 2020". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ "Governance". Harrow Beijing. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- ^ "WAITING 等待 by N. Smith". Youtube. Morris Sebastianutto, Trumpet. Retrieved 9 September 2023.