Isaac Smith, Composer-Performer
News
10/8/2024
I've passed my doctoral qualifying exam and am now a doctoral candidate! This means work can begin in earnest on my dissertation, Solarpunk: Spark and Seed. It is a large work for wind ensemble that addresses climate change through the lens of solarpunk philosophy: optimism and determination with a focus on togetherness and community. As the title suggests, there are some punk influences as well!
8/12/2024
Extension, my piece for flute and electronics (mentioned below) has been accepted for a lecture-performance at the SPLICE Festival VI, in Kalamazoo, Michigan in January 2025. I will be discussing how I trained the neural network that makes up the core of the piece's electronics.
4/24/2024
I am pleased to announce I've been awarded the Morris and Sheila Hass Award in Computer Music for my piece Extension, for solo flute and machine-learning assisted live electronics. Many thanks to Robin Meiksins for her invaluable help in putting together and performing the piece.
3/5/2022
On March 22nd at 7pm EST, harpsichord soloist Hengyuan Zheng will be premiering a new work I have composed, entitled Tom Jones' Damnation. It is a satirical piece based on themes from the 1963 film Tom Jones, starring a young, rakish Albert Finney. Attend the premiere virtually here!
2/28/2021
My brass quintet, Prelude (After Duke), received an "Honorable Mention" by the U.S. Naval Academy Call for Scores. More than a hundred pieces were submitted, and I am thrilled to be recognized by an organization with such a fine tradition of music-making in America. If you haven't seen it, here's the video. The score is also available for purchase in my digital store.
12/5/2021
My newest piece, a tuba solo with electronics entitled Call to ____ (Work/Worship/War) was premiered at the Center for Electronic and Computer Music concert. Not only was this my first premiere since To Battle (an oddly similarly titled work!) nearly two years ago, but this was also my first time performing as a tuba soloist in several years, as well. It felt good to be back onstage. Video and recording will be forthcoming, keep an eye out!
7/17/2021
A new video for my original piece, Prelude (After Duke), is now available on YouTube here! Check it out and browse through some of my other videos. Sheet music is available for this piece and others on my store!
4/15/2021
I have accepted admission to Indiana University's doctoral program in Music Composition! I will have full tuition and a monthly stipend in exchange for my services teaching music theory to undergraduates. I will be moving to Bloomington in late July, where I will hopefully find a new home to record and film, as well as fertile ground for writing and premiering new music. Looking forward to the change!
3/15/2021
A new video for a mashup arrangement of Ievan Polkka (leekspin) and the viral TikTok sea shanty Wellerman is up on YouTube and available for sale on my store. Enjoy!
2/21/2021
The first of ten videos for the Game Brass album is up on YouTube here! You can check out more of their videos on their YouTube channel!
2/8/2021
Production has finished on a new album by The Game Brass, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Legend of Zelda series. It will include one tune from every major game, and features me on first tuba and euphonium on all ten tracks!
9/24/2020
A new arrangement, How Can I Keep From Singing?, has been is available for sale! There is a version for brass groups between 5 and 8 players. Find it on my store here! There is also a YouTube video of me performing the quintet version on my channel.
9/13/2020
My talk on 8-bit sound design using a program called BFXR was included in Sacramento Developer Collective's 2020 Capital Creative Showcase. See the whole developer segment here. The intro to my talk begins at about 1:39:30. Enjoy!
7/17/2020
I collaborated with euphonium player Darren Fujii on a remote recording project created by Japanese composer Kohei Nishishita. Listen to it here! Learn more about the project here.
5/25/2020
A new arrangement, Wand'ring Warriors, has been uploaded to YouTube! It's a medley of two of my favorite video game characters' themes: Shadow from FFVI, and Frog from Chrono Trigger. I learned some new filming techniques to get this particular effect. Find it here!
3/27/2020
My newest piece, To Battle, now has a video! I multitracked myself performing the piece and uploaded it to YouTube. Find it here! You can also purchase a copy on the Order Music tab.
3/25/2020
The ITG conference in Columbus, OH has been canceled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. As is expected in this challenging time, in-person appearances will be unlikely, but I will be releasing something fun digitally in the next few days!
3/3/2020
Alexis True and Julian Dixon premiered my new work for two tubas, To Battle, at her graduate recital. It will be available for purchase soon!
12/23/2019
I am now officially registered as an exhibitor at the 2020 ITG Convention in Columbus, OH. If you are of the trumpet-playing persuasion, please come drop by and I will give you something to take home!
12/08/2019
I have been accepted to the doctoral program at the Fred Fox School of Music in Tuscon, Arizona! I am still waiting to hear back from several other universities.
10/16/2019
I have begun making plans to attend the 2020 International Trumpet Guild conference in Columbus, Ohio as an exhibitor. I'll be there selling my music! Please stop by if you're in the area or have come to the convention.
9/15/2019
The clarinet/saxophone duet Chyornii & Dorado will be recording one of my pieces, Upcycle, on October 12th. Upcycle will be released along with the works of seven other composers on an album which will be available for purchase from all major music retailers.
9/13/2019
The new site is up and running! I've redesigned everything from the ground up, and there's a lot of new stuff to explore. New entries have been added to the store page, and now you can sign up for a mailing list to stay up-to-date with all events, performances, and opportunities that involve my music.
8/1/2019
I have accepted a position as the piano accompanist for the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Sacramento. Part of my duties is to perform an 8-10 minute prelude before each service, and I'm using the opportunity to improvise piano music for a grateful, receptive audience!