Philip Smith

Philip Smith joined the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia as the William F. and Pamela P. Prokasy Professor in the Arts in August 2014.  In addition to teaching his trumpet studio, he is the Bandmaster of the UGA British Brass Band, member of the faculty Georgia Brass Quintet, and coach of the Bulldog Brass Society.  This new position follows his retirement from the New York Philharmonic after 36 years of service as Principal Trumpet, having joined the New York Philharmonic in October 1978.  

Mr. Smith’s father, Derek Smith, a renowned English cornet soloist, provided his early training. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School, having studied with Edward Treutel and William Vacchiano, former Principal Trumpet of the New York Philharmonic.  In January 1975, while still at Juilliard, Sir Georg Solti appointed Mr. Smith to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Smith has appeared regularly as soloist, recitalist, chamber orchestra performer, and clinician.  He has been featured as a soloist with the Philharmonic performing with conductors Zubin Mehta, Kurt Masur, Erich Leinsdorf, Leonard Bernstein, Neeme Järvi, Lorin Maazel, Alan Gilbert and Bramwell Tovey.  Repertoire highlights have included the world premiere of Joseph Turrin’s Trumpet Concerto with the New York Philharmonic (1989) and its subsequent European premiere with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (1994).  Additional New York Philharmonic performances have included the U.S. premiere of Jacques Hetu’s Trumpet Concerto (1992), the world premiere of Lowell Liebermann’s Concerto (2000), and the world premiere of Siegfried Matthus’s Double Concerto for Trumpet, Trombone, and Orchestra (2003).  He has also been a guest soloist with the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, and the symphonies of Edmonton, Newfoundland, South Dakota, Sioux City, Cedar Rapids (Iowa), Columbus (Indiana), Pensacola (Florida), Hartford (Connecticut), and Beaumont (Texas).  

He has appeared as guest Principal Trumpet with the Orchestre de Paris, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, performing Mahler’s Symphony #5.

Since being at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, Mr. Smith has on occasion performed as an extra in the trumpet section of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra during the 2017 – 2019 seasons.

Mr. Smith has appeared as soloist with many symphonic wind ensembles, including the US “President’s Own” Marine Band, the West Point Academy Band, the US Army TRADOC Band, the US Coast Guard Band, La Philharmonie des Vents des Quebec and many major university wind ensembles.  He appeared at The College Band Directors National Association Convention in Austin, Texas, for the world premiere of Turrin’s Chronicles(1999) with the University of New Mexico Wind Ensemble.  A subsequent recording ofChronicleswas produced which included the world premiere of Stephen Gryc’s Evensong(2000) and Turrin’s Fandango(2000).  Alfred Cohen’s …curls of motion…was premiered in 2008 with the Columbus State University Wind Ensemble.  Aaron Kernis’ a Voice, a Messengerwas premiered in 2013 with the University of Illinois Wind Ensemble.

An avid brass band enthusiast, Mr. Smith has been guest soloist with the United States Army Brass Band, and the contesting bands of Goteborg Brass (Sweden), Black Dyke and GUS Rigid Containers Band (Britain).  In Canada, he has been guest soloist with Hannaford Street Silver Band and Intrada Brass Band.  In the USA, he has soloed with San Antonio Brass Band (TX), Imperial Brass Band (NJ), Georgia Brass Band (GA), Columbus Brass Band (OH), Triangle Brass Band (NC) and Gramercy Brass (NY).  He has soloed with all of the Salvation Army Staff Bands worldwide including the International Staff Band, New York, Chicago, Amsterdam, Melbourne, German and Japan.  He appeared as featured soloist at the 1996 British Open Brass Band Championships in Manchester, England.

Mr. Smith is now conducting brass bands and brass ensembles.  In 2019, he conducted the Hannaford Street Silver Band and is scheduled to repeat with them in 2020.  He has conducted and hosted the New York Philharmonic Brass and Percussion at their annual “Holiday Brass”concerts in 2014, 2016, 2017 with Doc Severinsen as guest, and 2018 with Bramwell Tovey as guest pianist and composer.  He is scheduled to conduct the 2019 NYP “Holiday Brass.”  In 2018, he repeated the “Holiday Brass”concert with Doc Severinsen and the Charleston Symphony Brass.  In 2017, he conducted the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Brass and Percussion, performing Elgar Howarth’s brass transcription of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. He led the UGA British Brass Band to a Third-place Prize in the First Section of the 2017 North American Brass Band Association Championships.  He was guest conductor of the 2016 Summer Course of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.  He also conducted the New York Philharmonic Brass at the Dedication Ceremony of the September 11 Museum in New York City on May 15, 2014. 

Mr. Smith has been on the faculty of The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music, and has appeared as recitalist and clinician at the Caramoor International Music Festival, Grand Teton Music Festival, Swiss Brass Week, Bremen (Germany) Trumpet Days, Oslo (Norway) Trumpet Week, Harmony Ridge (Vermont) Festival, Scotia Festival of Music and numerous International Trumpet Guild conferences, including the 2018 ITG in San Antonio.  He has taught, and performed at the Le Domaine Forget International Music Academy (2015, 2018) in Quebec, Canada, the Blekinge International Brass Academy BIBA (2015) in Karlskrona, Sweden, and the MasterWorks Festival (2015, 2016).  

In 2016, Mr. Smith served as an adjudicator for the Prague Spring International Trumpet Competition, the Ellsworth Smith International Trumpet Solo Competition, and the 25th Anniversary National Trumpet Competition (USA).  In 2017, he was on the adjudicating committee for the Osaka (Japan) International Chamber Music Competition, and the Eric Aubier International Trumpet Competition in Rouen, France.

In 2005, Mr. Smith was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music (Hon RAM) in London, England.  In 2006, Mr. Smith was given the International Trumpet Guild Honorary Award. 

As a member of the Principal Brass Quintet, Mr. Smith has toured Japan four times, as well as Brazil and Germany.  He has also performed and recorded with the Canadian Brass, Empire Brass, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Bargemusic, and New York Virtuosi Chamber Symphony. 

Mr. Smith’s latest recording (2017) is Trilogy, a three CD set, featuring re-releases of his first LP entitled Trumpet & Piano, and his Escapaderecording with GUS Band.  The third CD of this set is a new release entitled Hymns: The Unreleased Tracks.  Upon his retirement in 2014, the New York Philharmonic produced The Philip Smith Collection, an archival three-volume set of live recordings of many of his solo trumpet performances, and live orchestral excerpts from his tenure with the NYP. Other recordings include Contest Solosproduced by the International Trumpet Guild; Fandango, featuring New York Philharmonic Principal Trombonist Joseph Alessi and the University of New Mexico Wind Symphony (Summit); My Song of Songswith the New York Staff Band of The Salvation Army (Triumphonic); Copland’s Quiet City(Deutsche Grammophon); New York Legends(CALA); Orchestral Excerpts for Trumpet  (Summit); Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Concerto for Trumpet and Five Instruments (New World); Bach’s BrandenburgConcerto No. 2(Koch); Walton’s Façade (Arabesque); and The Trump Shall Resoundand Repeat the Sounding Joy(Heritage).

Mr. Smith has collaborated on a series of projects with Curnow Music Press (Hal Leonard), publishing music arrangements with demonstration CDs. These include Great Hymns, More Great Hymns, and Great Christmas Carolsfor Trumpet and Piano. Two trumpet study books with demo CD have also been produced, Concert Studiesand Advanced Concert Studies. In a similar project published by Michael Davis and Hip-Bone Music, Mr. Smith has recorded the 20 minute WARM UP ROUTINEand the new 10 MWU etude book.  Also in this series is Total Trumpet, featuring a variety of trumpet studies demonstrated by Randy Brecker, Jim Hynes and Philip Smith.

Mr. Smith’s film soundtrack credits include: Cobb(1994) music by Elliot Goldenthal; The Hudsucker Proxy(1994) music by Carter Burwell; A Time To Kill (1996) music by Elliot Goldenthal; Punchline(1998) music by Gary Anderson and Charles Gross; Sphere(1998) music by Elliot Goldenthal; The Rookie(2002) music by Carter Burwell; The Ladykillers(2004) music by Carter Burwell; Manchurian Candidate (2004) music by Rachel Portman; Hitch(2005) music by George Fenton and Alan Elliot.  His commercial soundtrack credits include: "NBC Sunday Night Football Theme 2006" music by John Williams; "NBC Super Bowl XVIII Theme 2008" music by John Williams and Joel Beckerman; and "NBC and Golf Channel Tournament Theme 2013" music by Joel Beckerman.