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Jeremy J. Smith: Percussionist
Biography | Pianist | Percussionist | Composer/Arranger | Private Lessons | Resume
Jeremy Smith is a semi-professional, free lance percussionist,
when he's not attending classes, 
rehearsals, teaching, or playing piano.
Jeremy
enjoys playing every percussion instrument. He can play marimba, vibes,
xylophone, timpani, bass, drum set, snare drum, bass drum, crash cymbals,
congas, bongos, djembe, as well as many other ethnic drums, and assorted
percussion trap instruments. He was the star percussionist in the Mt.
Lebanon High School Percussion Ensemble, being featured on four different
occasions playing solos with the ensemble.
He auditioned for the PMEA
(Pennsylvania Music Educators Association) District One Honors Band in 2000 and
2001, making it to the percussion sections both times. In 2001, he served
as Principal Percussionist. He has also participated in the PMEA District
One Orchestra Festivals. In 2002, Jeremy was selected for the PMEA
District One West Band, where he was the Principal Percussionist. As a
result of his audition, he was selected to go on to PMEA Region One Band, where
he was the Principal Timpanist. After his competitive audition at Region
Band, Jeremy was selected to represent Mt. Lebanon High School as the only
musician going on to the PMEA All-State Band Festival, where he placed as the
Principal Timpanist once again, making him the best High School Timpanist in the
State of Pennsylvania.
At
the PMEA state convention held on April 20, 2002 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Jeremy also had the opportunity to perform for music educators from all over the
state with his High School Orchestra and with the Mt. Lebanon High School
Percussion Ensemble. Jeremy was also a member of and performed with the
Phoenix Youth Orchestra (now the Pittsburgh Youth Pops Orchestra). In the
Spring of 2002, Jeremy was selected to participate in the third annual community
side-by-side with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, one of the world's leading
orchestras. Being appointed to the percussion section in this prestigious
event made Jeremy the youngest musician ever to be involved in this
side-by-side.
During high school, Jeremy found a love for the marimba, and
thus created the Mt. Lebanon Marimba Trio. Jeremy rehearsed his group
weekly, and selected the music for their programs. With C.J. Young and Dan
O'Hanlon, the other members of the Trio, the group was asked to play at Heinz
Hall prior to the Evelyn Glennie concert in 2001.
The Marimba Trio was
also selected as a featured group at the South Hills Hand Bell Convention in
2001, and accompanied the United Methodist Church of Mt. Lebanon in a beautiful
concert. Jeremy was hired as the percussionist for the South Hills Choral, a professional choir, in 2000 and 2001. When hired to play
timpani at the Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church for Easter services in 2001
and 2002, Jeremy was in the company of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra brass
players in a chamber group that performed for the services.
Last,
Jeremy was not only fortunate enough to meet Evelyn Glennie, Michael Burrit, Leigh Howard Stevens,
and Timothy Adams, four of the world's leading percussionists, 
he was
selected to play in master classes being critiqued and instructed by them.
Playing musicals is also a way Jeremy gets around the performing world, being
hired by many high schools, churches, and professional groups to play the drum
set books in musicals for them. Jeremy auditioned and was accepted into
Duquesne University, Indiana University - Bloomington, West Virginia University, and
the University of Oklahoma. When Jeremy auditioned in Oklahoma for Dr. Richard
C. Gipson, he stated that, "Jeremy's audition was one of the strongest I'd
heard in my years teaching." Jeremy Smith is a student of Brian
Britt, Subha Das, Brett Dietz, Lance Drege, Richard Minnotte, Iain Moyer, Brian
Tinkle, and William Wakefield. He uses Yamaha Drums, LP, Toca,
Evans drum heads, and Vic Firth sticks.
If you would like any information on hiring Jeremy Smith to play percussion for you, Contact Us.
Live in the Pittsburgh, PA or Norman, OK area? Do you wish to learn how to play the many instruments of percussion? Contact Us with your request, name, address, and method to contact you (phone, e-mail), and Jeremy would be happy to teach you.
If you would like to listen to Jeremy play the marimba for you, then visit the Audio Gallery.
To purchase any of Jeremy Smith's Percussion CDs, or to request a demo, Contact Us with your name, address, and order, and we will ship it to you.
Jeremy Smith's Percussion CDs:
| CD Title | Cost (U.S.) | ||
| Competing with the Rain | $14.95 | ||
| Wooden Thoughts | $14.95 |
Prices and rates subject to change without prior notice.
Biography | Pianist | Percussionist | Composer/Arranger | Private Lessons | Resume
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