Recognized as a brilliant performer and elegant interpreter of romantic and modern music, Michael Cedric Smith appears frequently as a recitalist and in chamber music concerts in New York City and across the country. "Michael Cedric Smith opened with an exciting, bravura performance of Etude No. 7 by Villa-Lobos. Requiring, and receiving, flawless technique, this study has the elegant, sinuous lines so typical of the composer... Smith had all of the necessary sophistication." Lynna Sedlak, The Buffalo News.
He has appeared twice at the National Festival of the Guitar in the Dominican Republic. Recently he performed concerts for Vanderbilt Universitys GuitarFest, Middle Tennesee States Guitar Festival and the Springfield Guitar Society. He also appeared recently on the "Music at Noon" series at Trinity Church in Manhattan with soprano, Irina Mozyleva and in solo recital for the Connecticut Classical Guitar Society.
Critics have written that "Smith is a brilliant and exciting guitarist with an elegant and sophisticated style" (El Siglo, Santo Domingo) and that he is "a guitarist who has both the chops and maturity to make music of anything he sets his fingers to." (Doug Levy, Arts Voice, Buffalo New York).
In New York City, he has performed contemporary American chamber music as a guest artist with the St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble at the Guggenheim Museum of Art in SoHo, and with the New York University Chamber Players at Merkin Concert Hall. He has appeared in solo recitals on the "La Folia Series" at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital hall. He has also been featured on WNYCs "Around New York." He performed at the Guitar Foundation of Americas National Symposium and frequently performs with Margaret Lancaster, flute and soprano Irina Mozyleva. Mr. Smith has presented the world premiers of numerous works including: Five Preludes by Robert Starer and Concerto for Guitar by Ulf Grahn (both written for Michael Cedric Smith) and the New York premier of Son Sonara for flute and guitar by Tania Leon.
Currently on the faculty at the New York City College of Technology, Mr. Smith has also taught at the City University of New York, the University of South Carolina, the National Summer Guitar Workshop in Connecticut and the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. He is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory.
