EPK Bio
Michael Kent Smith is a composer who uses modern as well as traditional and folk instruments, performing on them and taping the various strands together into vivid, delightful music. Smith has toured Europe, Mexico and Africa and performs regularly around the United States with concerts at such notable venues as the Kennedy Center and the Chicago Cultural Center. He is a graduate of Elmhurst College and has studied classical guitar with Paul Herrmann, fingerstyle guitar with Martin Simpson and Edward Gehard, jazz with Richard Medel, composition with Howard Krueger and flamenco with Manuel Lozano in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. He was the principal composer in Pong Unit, the ensemble fronted by poet Marc Smith, inventor of the Poetry Slam. In addition Smith has won the Outstanding Soloist award at the prestigious Midwest Jazz festival and was voted Chicago’s Best Guitarist in 1989. He released the solo CD “After the Harvest” in 2002 and a trio CD “Beauty Without Warning” in 2005.
Performance History
Performances in France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain
Toured Africa in 2007
National tours of the United States
Kennedy Center, Washington DC
Regular performances at world famous Green Mill Club in Chicago
Chicago Cultural Center
International Festival of World Music, Mexico City
Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival, Mexico
Awards:
1994 Ensemble “First Circle” named finalist in Musician Magazine’s “Best Unsigned Band” competition.
1990 First place in Illinois Entertainer “Chicago’s Best Guitarist” competition.
1987 Duo with trombonist Dave Gross awarded first prize jazz combo - Elmhurst Jazz Festival.
Recordings (as leader):
2002 “After the Harvest”
2005 “Beauty Without Warning”
Education
1986 BA Music Elmhurst College – focus in composition and orchestration
Additional Studies:
Composition:
University of Illinois
University of Miami
College of DuPage
Private Guitar Studies:
Richard Medel in Chicago
Manuel Lozano in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
Martin Simpson in Connecticut
Paul Herrmann in Chicago
Private Dulcimer Studies:
Stephen Siefert
David Schnaufer