Emeritus professor Paul Smith has served the musical needs of Marin County for over 50 years. A native of Fort Worth Texas, he pursued his undergraduate studies at the Royal College of Music, London, and the Vienna Hochschule, and received his Masters from Dominican University. Winner of numerous national and international piano competitions, he maintains an active life as a concert pianist, and is founder and director of Contemporary Opera Marin, an internationally recognized chamber opera company, as well as the annual Music from Marin Festivals, presenting important but less familiar classical repertoire to communities throughout the county. In addition, he often serves as music director for American musical theater works, including 27 years with the annual Mountain Play atop Mt. Tamalpais. Since reducing his teaching load at College of Marin, he has been able to perform further afield, including performances in Florida, New York, and London. He is currently working on a book about the impact of contemporary music in London during the period 1965 to 1975.
Profiles
