Birth

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July 3, 1961

Genre

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Keyboard

 

 

Orchestral

 

Tim Smith was born on December 16, 1960, in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a classical pianist. Smith began playing the piano at the age of four and showed a natural talent for music. As a child, Smith was exposed to a wide range of musical genres, including classical, jazz, and rock. He was particularly drawn to classical music and began studying it seriously at the age of ten. He attended the Peabody Preparatory School in Baltimore, where he studied piano and composition. After completing high school, Smith attended the Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance. He then went on to earn a Master of Music degree in piano performance from the Juilliard School in New York City. Smith's career as a classical pianist began to take off in the 1980s. He won several prestigious competitions, including the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1985 and the Leeds International Piano Competition in 1987. These victories brought him international recognition and led to performances with major orchestras around the world. One of Smith's most memorable performances was his debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1988. He performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5, also known as the "Emperor" concerto, to critical acclaim. The New York Times praised his "brilliant technique and interpretive insight." Smith continued to perform with major orchestras throughout the 1990s and 2000s, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra. He also performed as a soloist in recitals around the world. In addition to his career as a performer, Smith was also a respected teacher and mentor. He taught at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, the Juilliard School, and the Curtis Institute of Music. Many of his students went on to successful careers as pianists and musicians. Smith was known for his interpretations of the works of Beethoven, Chopin, and Schumann, among others. He was praised for his technical skill and his ability to bring out the emotional depth of the music he played. Sadly, Smith's career was cut short by a tragic accident in 2015. He was hiking in the mountains near his home in Colorado when he fell and suffered a severe head injury. He was airlifted to a hospital in Denver, where he remained in a coma for several weeks before passing away on August 3, 2015. Smith's death was a great loss to the classical music world. He was remembered as a brilliant pianist, a dedicated teacher, and a kind and generous person. His legacy lives on through his recordings, his students, and the memories of those who were fortunate enough to hear him play.

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