Welcome to jdsmusic.co.uk, the website for Jack Smith.  I am a musician (conductor, trombonist, teacher and more) based in South London, with connections across the south of the UK from here to South Wales, and most points in-between. 

Of course these pages are designed to drum up business under any of the headings you see on the left; however I hope they will also shed a more personal light on the various things I do, besides merely touting for gigs (though if you would simply like to offer me some work, that's fine too). 

I hope you will enjoy browsing this site; please feel free to contact me with any feedback or enquiries. 

Overview

Jack Smith was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 1984, and grew up in nearby Stroud.  In 2002 he won a full scholarship to Trinity College of Music, where he studied trombone with Roger Harvey and piano with Raymond Banning.  At this time he also began his conducting studies, having started out by deputising for local amateur orchestras.  Jack was awarded the college conducting prize in 2006, and graduated with first class honours in 2007, going on to study conducting at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff with David Jones and Adrian Partington.

Since returning to London in 2010 Jack has been in ever-growing demand both as a conductor and instrumentalist, becoming involved in a variety of exciting projects. He has conducted a variety of orchestras, bands and choirs whilst also maintaining a busy performing schedule on both modern and period instruments; a range of work which continues to establish Jack as one of the most versatile musicians of his generation. 

Whilst music plays a huge part in Jack's life, he also enjoys quiet, sensible things such as walking, photography, literature, cooking, and cycling.

Highlights

Forthcoming engagements - follow links for full details:

Sunday 20 May:  Conducting Epsom & Ewell Silver Band at the Southern Counties Amateur Bands Association's annual Entertainment Contest at The Hawth, Crawley

Thursday 24 May:  Director to University College London Chamber Music Society for a lunchtime concert of Venetian choral music and other works

Saturday 16 & 30 June:  Performances in Gloucestershire with period instrument ensemble The Six, collaborating with Cantores Chamber Choir in two concerts celebrating the music of Giovanni Gabrieli and his contemporaries. 16 June at Northleach, 30 June at Tetbury

Saturday 23 June:  Conducting Southend Philharmonic Orchestra in a wide-ranging programme of light music, featuring prominently the work of British composers such as Eric Coates, Vivian Ellis and Ralph Vaughan Williams.  Full details to follow

Recently:

March 2012:  Conducting Southend Philharmonic Orchestra in a programme featuring works by Weber, Schubert and Dvorak 

December 2011:  Director to University College London Chamber Music Society for their Christmas concert featuring Bach's Magnificat in its original form

November 2011:  Performances on alto & tenor sackbut with period instrument ensemble The Six, and on trombone with Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra

November 2011:  A return to Forest of Dean Brass as guest Musical Director, conducting the band at the Gloucestershire Brass Band Association Annual Contest in Coleford and subsequently winning a clean sweep of the prizes awarded in Section B.  Full results are listed on the GBBA website, and recordings are available on the band's Soundcloud page