Don't let his average-guy name fool you; there's nothing average about clarinetist and composer Bill Smith! Now in his 78th year, Smith has spent more than half a century connecting musical worlds and extending the possibilities of his instrument.
Smith's first recordings were made in the 1940s with Dave Brubeck's experimental Octet (Smith continues to record and perform with Brubeck to this day), and ever since Smith has been creating exciting, daring music that elegantly crosses the "boundaries" between jazz and concert music. On this show Smith visits with host David Garland for the second time to share his music and to pull his clarinet to pieces in order to play it. In 1960 Smith used his prestigious Prix de Rome Fellowship to begin investigating and cataloging extended techniques on the clarinet, using unusual fingerings and configurations to produce unusual sonic colors. He'll demonstrate some of these techniques in the WNYC studio, and we'll hear recordings such as his Concerto for Clarinet and Combo, and more.
ยป Bill Smith's website
Smith's first recordings were made in the 1940s with Dave Brubeck's experimental Octet (Smith continues to record and perform with Brubeck to this day), and ever since Smith has been creating exciting, daring music that elegantly crosses the "boundaries" between jazz and concert music. On this show Smith visits with host David Garland for the second time to share his music and to pull his clarinet to pieces in order to play it. In 1960 Smith used his prestigious Prix de Rome Fellowship to begin investigating and cataloging extended techniques on the clarinet, using unusual fingerings and configurations to produce unusual sonic colors. He'll demonstrate some of these techniques in the WNYC studio, and we'll hear recordings such as his Concerto for Clarinet and Combo, and more.
ยป Bill Smith's website
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.