The New York Philharmonic Presents A CELEBRATION OF PHIL SMITH, Today

The New York Philharmonic will salute departing Principal Trumpet Philip Smith - who will step down from his position at the end of the 2013-14 season following 36 seasons of service - in A Celebration of Phil Smith, a concert featuring the New York Philharmonic Brass and Percussion Ensemble, conducted by Mr. Smith and Bramwell Tovey, July 5, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. The program will also include works that showcase brass: an arrangement of Rimsky-Korsakov's Procession of the Nobles; a Horn Quartet by Gershwin; Tomasi's Liturgical Fanfares; an arrangement of The Great Gate of Kiev from Musorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition; and Pollack's That's a Plenty, which the New York Philharmonic Principal Brass Quintet, of which Mr. Smith was a founding member, has frequently performed as an encore on the Orchestra's tours. Philharmonic musicians will introduce the works and speak about Mr. Smith.

The program spotlights musicians and composers with close ties to Philip Smith. He was instrumental in the Philharmonic debut of Bramwell Tovey, who has since conducted the Orchestra's annual Summertime Classics series for 11 seasons. Mr. Smith made his concerto debut with the Orchestra performing Tomasi's Trumpet Concerto, conducted by Zubin Mehta, in November 1979.

Philip Smith has been a member of the New York Philharmonic since his appointment as Co- Principal Trumpet in 1978 and the sole Principal Trumpet, The Paula Levin Chair, since 1988. Beginning in the fall of 2014 he will hold the William F. and Pamela P. Prokasy Professorship in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia, one of the most prestigious positions at the University. In addition to his role at the University, Mr. Smith will continue to perform as soloist and in ensembles, and will give master classes around the world.

"I am absolutely humbled and honored that my colleagues and friends have decided to throw this 'party' for me!" Philip Smith said. "To be honest, I was trying to 'fade away' as General Douglas MacArthur once said. While my brass colleagues have kept me in the dark about the program, I do know that Henri Tomasi's Liturgical Fanfares is on the program. To enjoy the power of this piece, musically as well as programmatically, on this occasion, will be an absolute treat!"

"For as long as I've known him and had the privilege of hearing his peerless trumpet playing, Phil Smith has represented the pinnacle of what we as musicians can aspire to," said New York Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert. "Of course his command of the instrument and ability to deliver glorious performances night after night are legendary. But it is his humility, deep humanity, and warmth as a person that have made him truly a model colleague: someone we all learn from on a daily basis, and who is a great inspiration both on stage and off. I will always remember and appreciate the wonderful concerts we have shared."

Philip Smith's Career

Following early training from his father, Derek Smith, a renowned English cornet soloist, Philip Smith graduated from 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, he was appointed to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by Sir Georg Solti.

Mr. Smith has appeared regularly as soloist, recitalist, chamber orchestra performer, and clinician. In addition to his many accomplishments with the New York Philharmonic, 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 No. 5.

Philip Smith has also appeared with many symphonic wind ensembles, including the U.S. "President's Own" Marine Band, the West Point Academy Band, the U.S. Army TRADOC Band, the U.S. 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 Joseph Turrin's Chronicles (1999) with the University of New Mexico Wind Ensemble. A subsequent recording of Chronicles was produced, which included the World Premiere of Stephen Gryc's Evensong (2000) and Turrin's Fandango (2000). He was also soloist in the premiere of Alfred Cohen's ... curls of motion ..., with the Columbus State University Wind Ensemble in 2008, and Aaron Jay Kernis's a Voice, a Messenger, with the University of Illinois Wind Ensemble in 2013.

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 Mills and Rigid Containers Band (Britain), Hannaford Street Silver Band and Intrada Brass (Canada), as well as Columbus Brass Band, Triangle Brass Band, and Imperial Brass (USA). He has been a soloist with all of the Salvation Army Staff Bands worldwide including the International Staff Band, and those of New York, Chicago, Amsterdam, Melbourne, Germany, and Japan. He appeared as featured soloist at the 1996 British Open Brass Band Championships in Manchester, England.

Mr. Smith has also performed and recorded with the Canadian Brass, Empire Brass, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Bargemusic, and New York Virtuosi Chamber Symphony. His solo recordings include Contest Solos, produced by the International Trumpet Guild; Fandango, featuring New York Philharmonic Principal Trombone Joseph Alessi and the University of New Mexico Wind Symphony (Summit); My Song of Songs, with the New York Staff Band of The Salvation Army (Triumphonic); Copland's Quiet City (Deutsche Grammophone); New York Legends (CALA); Orchestral Excerpts for Trumpet (Summit); Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Concerto for Trumpet and Five Instruments (New World); Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 (Koch); Walton's Fac?ade (Arabesque); and The Trump Shall Resound and Repeat the Sounding Joy (Heritage). Philip 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, Breman (Germany) Trumpet Days, Oslo (Norway) Trumpet Week, Harmony Ridge (Vermont) Festival, Scotia Festival of Music, and numerous International Trumpet Guild conferences.

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 Carols for Trumpet and Piano. Two trumpet study books with demo CDs have also been produced, Concert Studies and Advanced Concert Studies. In a similar project published by Michael Davis and Hip-Bone Music, Mr. Smith has recorded the 20- Minute WARM-UP ROUTINE and a soon to be released e?tude book. Also in this series is Total Trumpet, featuring a variety of trumpet studies demonstrated by Randy Brecker, Jim Hynes, and Mr. Smith.

Philip Smith's film sound track credits include Cobb (1994, with 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); The Manchurian Candidate (2004, music by Rachel Portman); and Hitch (2005, music by George Fenton and Alan Elliot). He also can be heard on the sound tracks for the NBC Sunday Night Football Theme (2006, music by John Williams); NBC Super Bowl XVIII Theme (2008 and currently being aired, music by John Williams and Joel Beckerman); NBC and Golf Channel Tournament Theme (2013, music by Joel Beckerman).

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

Grammy and Juno Award-winning conductor/composer Bramwell Tovey was appointed music director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) in 2000; under his leadership it has toured China, South Korea, Canada, and the U.S. He is also artistic adviser of the VSO School of Music, which opened in downtown Vancouver in 2011. Mr. Tovey's tenure has included complete symphonic cycles of Beethoven, Mahler, and Brahms, and the establishment of an annual festival dedicated to contemporary music. In 2018, the VSO's centenary year, he will become the orchestra's music director emeritus. During the current season Mr. Tovey's guest appearances include the New York, Los Angeles, BBC, and Royal philharmonic orchestras; Boston and Toronto Symphony Orchestras; and The Philadelphia and Cleveland Orchestras. In the summer of 2014 he will make his debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival and in 2015 he will lead Korngold's Die Tote Stadt for Calgary Opera. In 2003 he won the Juno for Best Classical Composition for his choral and brass work Requiem for a Charred Skull. He has been commissioned to compose works for ensembles including the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestras, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Calgary Opera, which premiered his first full-length opera, The Inventor, in 2011 (a VSO recording with UBC Opera and the original cast will be issued by Naxos in 2014). Earlier this season, his Trumpet Concerto, Songs of the Paradise Saloon, was performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic with Alison Balsom as soloist; she will join The Philadelphia Orchestra for the work in December 2014. Mr. Tovey has appeared as pianist with many major orchestras including the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestras, and the Sydney, Melbourne, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Toronto, Royal Scottish symphony orchestras. In the summer of 2014 he will perform and conduct Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and in Saratoga with The Philadelphia Orchestra. He has performed his own Pictures in the Smoke with the Melbourne and Helsingborg Symphony Orchestras and the Royal Philharmonic. Bramwell Tovey was music director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra from 1989 to 2001 where he founded the WSO's New Music Festival, and from 2002 to 2006 he was music director of Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, leading tours of Europe, the U.S., China, and South Korea. He is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in London and of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, and he holds honorary degrees from the universities of British Columbia, Manitoba, Kwantlen, and Winnipeg. In 2013 he was appointed an honorary Officer of the Order of Canada for services to music. Mr. Tovey made his New York Philharmonic debut leading a Young People's Concert in 2000; he will have most recently conducted the Philharmonic during its Summertime Classics concerts in July 2014.

** *
Credit Suisse is the Global Sponsor of the New York Philharmonic.

** *
Classical 105.9 FM WQXR is the Radio Home of the New York Philharmonic.

** *
Programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of

Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Tickets
Tickets are $35. All tickets may be purchased online at nyphil.org or by calling (212) 875-5656, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday; 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 5:00 p.m. Sunday. Tickets may also be purchased at the Avery Fisher Hall Box Office. The Box Office opens at 10:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and at noon on Sunday. On performance evenings, the Box Office closes one-half hour after performance time; other evenings it closes at 6:00 p.m. To determine ticket availability, call the Philharmonic's Customer Relations Department at (212) 875-5656. [Ticket prices subject to change.]

For press tickets, call Lanore Carr in the New York Philharmonic Marketing and Communications Department at (212) 875-5714, or e-mail her at carrl@nyphil.org.

Photo Credit: Chris Lee

To post a comment, you must register and login.