Michael Smith
Michael Smith has been Acting Principal Trumpet of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra since the 2009-2010 season. He began his tenure with the CSO in 2006 as Second Trumpet. In addition to the CSO, Michael has also performed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Orchestra Sinfonica de Guanajuato, and the Hilton Head Symphony.
Michael graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music in 2000 where he was a student of Robert Sullivan. Upon graduation, he received the Award for Excellence in Brass Performance. Also, in 2000, he was selected as a fellow to the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan under the musical direction of Charles Dutoit.
In addition to his orchestral work, Michael is quite active as a soloist, chamber musician, and music educator. During the 2010-2011 season, he was a guest soloist and clinician with the South Carolina Trumpet Guild Trumpet Festival at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, as well as a featured soloist on the Piccolo Spoleto Festival Spotlight Series at Mepkin Abbey. Michael is on the adjunct trumpet faculty at the College of Charleston, and enjoys teaching the talented young trumpeters of Charleston privately. He spends his free time with his wife, Mayumi, and their daughter, Mion.