About Alison Smith
 History
In 1995 Alison graduated with honours from Trinity College
of Music London, having been awarded the Grace Wylie Thesis
Prize, a college Scholarship and a Scholarship from the
Mary Datchelor Trust to enable her to pursue her Post-Graduate
studies. She has studied the Guitar with Gilbert Biberian
and Nicola Hall, and Piano with Raymond Banning. In July
1997 she was awarded a Distinction in the Post-Graduate
Performance Certificate. In September 2002 Alison was appointed
Guitar Tutor at the Junior Department of The Royal Scottish
Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD), Glasgow.
Alison has played in masterclasses with many international
performers including; Benjamin Verdery, Ricardo Iznaola,
Neil Smith, Simon Dinnigan and Vladislav Blaha. Prior to
college Alison received tuition from Stephen Gordon.
Now
Alison now performs nationwide and engagements include
the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, The Norfolk Symphony Orchestra's
thirty year Anniversary Celebration, St Martin in the Fields,
St. James' Piccadilly, The Bolivar Hall, Kedleston Hall,
the Isle of Arran Music Society, Linlithgow Arts Guild,
Saltram House for the National Trust and The City of Plymouth
Museum and Art Gallery International Lunchtime Concert
Series. Alison was also guest soloist at the Charles May
Memorial Concert, Plymouth. Alison has performed at numerous
classical guitar festivals including Prussia Cove, The
Garcia Biberian International Summer School, the First
Exeter Guitar Festival, where she also gave a lecture/workshop
and most recently at The International Guitar Festival
of Great Britain, Wirral. Alison also regularly performs
in the Lintarre Duo with violinist Claire Chadwick.
Alison has broadcast on BBC Radio Devon and has also given
a live performance on the Iain Anderson show, BBC Scotland.
Alison performs a number of new and original works. To
date this includes the World Premiere, as dedicatee, of
The Peace of God by the American composer Glen Morgan and
Autumn Embers by Philip Buttall, the British Premiere of
Roberto Sierra's Primera Cronica del Descubrimiento and
Luis Morales Giacoman's Nueva York, Sepultada por la lluvia
and Enterraste mis Besos.
As well as teaching the guitar at the Junior Department
of the RSAMD Alison has also lectured at the Senior Academy
and is involved in Outreach work including giving workshops
and advising on teaching the guitar on the Isle of Lewis.
Alison has directed a workshop as part of Guitarfest at
the University of Strathclyde. She is also a teacher of
the Colourstring method and is an adviser and examiner
for Colourstring centres in London and Dublin.
At the beginning of 2004 Alison was awarded a grant from
the Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust to help her purchase
a new concert guitar from Christopher Dean.
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Reviews and Comments
"The performance given by the distinguished
classical guitarist Alison Smith at the Arts Guild concerts
last Saturday evening might be summed up in one word: enthralling."
Linlithgow Gazette, Scotland (March 2003)
"Alison demonstrated sheer virtuosity
in her delivery of a variety of challenging pieces. In
a two set programme of works Alison's superb technique
and sensitivity shone through…The Priory was full
and the audience was clearly enjoying what they heard…..at
the end the audience 'yelled' for more."
Official Festival Review, The International Guitar
Festival of Great Britain, Wirral (November 2003)
"Alison Smith is rapidly convincing
concert promoters that she is one of the most exciting
and lyrical guitarists to emerge in recent years."
Nicola Hall (International Guitarist).
" Lovely hypnotic playing".
Iain Anderson (BBC Scotland.)
"…. a genuinely lyrical expression
usually heard only from performers of more mature years."
Philip R Buttall (Plymouth Evening Herald, April
2002.)
" …one of the South West's most
promising musicians."
BBC Radio Devon.
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Contact Alison
Smith
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