2024 - Adjudicator - Piano, Vocal & Choral

Stephen Smith: Piano, Vocal, Choral

Listeners, critics, and audience members alike know Stephen Smith as a "sensitive and dynamic performer” with a “highly poetic touch”; and “superb musicianship which illuminates everything he plays.”; Renowned pianist Jane Coop called her former student "an extremely intelligent and perceptive musician, who has great facility and strength in his technique.” And

Simon Carrington (one of the founding members of the Kings Singers) has called Smith “magnificent pianist,” saying, “a privilege to hear such beautiful playing!”

Smith grew up in rural Nova Scotia, where he sang and played the piano from an early age. After initial studies in his home province in both piano and organ, he attended the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK. During his three years there, he gave recitals all over England and participated in national and international competitions, winning numerous awards and distinctions. Since 1990, he has lived in Vancouver, obtaining a doctoral degree in piano performance from the University of British Columbia, and contributing to the musical life of the city in a variety of ways.

His wide-ranging musical experience includes teaching piano and theory to students of all ages and at all levels, performing as a soloist and in chamber groups of all kinds, working as a church musician, directing both community and semi-professional choirs, writing and lecturing about music, playing orchestral piano and continuo, and — most notably — his lengthy tenures as principal accompanist for the Vancouver Bach Choir (since 2010), Elektra Women’s Choir (since 2001) and the Vancouver Men’s Chorus (since 1991).

Also a composer and arranger of distinction, Smith’s music is published by Cypress, Rhythmic Trident, Alliance, and ECSchirmer, and is increasingly available from online sources such as MusicaNeo and SheetMusicPlus. His work as both a pianist and composer can be heard in dozens of commercially-released recordings, including a solo album of piano miniatures entitled Kaleidoscope and a recording of organ music by Buxtehude entitled Hail the Day, both of which are available on all the major music-streaming platforms.

As a piano teacher, his special interests include the production of a seamless cantabile line; attaining brilliance, evenness, and clarity through finger strength and independence; and helping students to self-diagnose technical problems and solve them by applying appropriate practice techniques. Analytical and historical specialties include the music of Bach, Brahms, and the Schumanns.