Martin Smith

Winner of the ECHO Klassik Prize, Australian cellist Martin Smith is celebrated for his virtuosity and musical insight. He has established an international career as a soloist and chamber musician, appearing with leading orchestras including the Berliner Kammersolisten, Orchestre de Chambre de Lyon, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, RTÉ Symphony Orchestra, and RTS Symphony Orchestra Belgrade, and at venues including the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Palais des Beaux-Arts Brussels, Konzerthaus Vienna, and Wigmore Hall London.

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Smith has collaborated with renowned artists including Kolja Blacher, Leon Fleisher, Midori Goto, Leonidas Kavakos, Yo-Yo Ma, Boris Pergamenschikov, Menahem Pressler, Heinrich Schiff, Antoine Tamestit, and Tabea Zimmermann, and works closely with leading composers including John Adams, Thomas Adès, Mats Larsson Gothe, György Kurtág, François Sarhan, and Salvatore Sciarrino.

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Festival appearances include IMS Prussia Cove, Musica Strasbourg, Pablo Casals Prades, Piatigorsky, and Ravinia, and he has been honoured with awards including the Australian Music Foundation, DAAD Künstlerpreis, ECHO Klassik Prize, KPO Young Performer of the Year, and the Marten Bequest Scholarship.

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As guest principal cellist, Smith has performed with the Bavarian State Opera, BBC Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, NDR Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Philharmonia Orchestra London, Royal Opera Stockholm, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, SWR Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart, and Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, and with conductors including Herbert Blomstedt, Bernard Haitink, Daniel Harding, Mariss Jansons, Zubin Mehta, and Simon Rattle.

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Smith received his early training in Sydney with Susan Blake and Uzi Wiesel, and furthered his studies in Europe with Hatto Beyerle, Eberhard Feltz, and Natalia Gutman. He continues to perform internationally and is a member of the Zafraan Ensemble Berlin and SMESCH Hamburg.