BiographyPraised for her “rich and beautiful voice”, soprano Erin M. Smith is quickly establishing herself as a versatile and dynamic performer on the Boston music scene. In New England, Erin has been featured with Opera Providence, Cape Cod Opera, Raylynmor Opera, Boston Opera Collaborative, MetroWest Opera, Boston Metro Opera, Piccola Opera, The Boston New Music Initiative, Opera del West, The Falmouth Chorale, Chorus North Shore, The Choral Art Society of the South Shore, The Newton Community Chorus and The Paul Madore Chorale among others. She has also been seen as a soloist with the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra and the Hillyer Festival Orchestra.
Recently, Erin has been a frequent collaborator and soloist with orchestras and choral ensembles throughout New England. Erin was thrilled to be featured as the soprano soloist in Mozart's Requiem in partnership with the Nashua Choral Society, Granite State Choral Society, and Symphony New Hampshire for performances throughout New Hampshire. Erin was also pleased to perform the soprano solos in Handel's Messiah with Chorus North Shore, Mozart's Great Mass in C Minor with The Concord Chorale, Brahms Requiem with Portsmouth Pro Musica, Mahler Symphony No. 4 with The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra, and Baroque concerts with The Concord Chorale and The Falmouth Chorale. Erin is also proud to be the co-managing diva of Opera on Tap New Hampshire, a group with whom she performs frequently. Favorite operatic roles in New England include the title role in Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen with Boston Opera Collaborative where she was hailed as “a stylish actress” by Thomas Garvey of The Hub Review, Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore with Opera Providence, Contessa Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro (also with BOC), Donna Elvira in an educational tour of Don Giovanni with Cape Cod Opera, and Pamina in The Magic Flute with MetroWest Opera and Piccola Opera. In addition to operatic engagements, Erin has been featured as the soprano soloist in Haydn’s Creation with The Falmouth Chorale and orchestra, Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de Confessore with the Newton Community Chorus and orchestra, Mozart’s Requiem with The Choral Art Society of the South Shore and Vivaldi’s Gloria and Faure’s Requiem with the Paul Madore Chorale. An avid supporter of New Music, Erin has presented the world premieres of I am Not Yours and The Terraces of Purgatory for soprano and chamber orchestra both by composer Timothy A. Davis, Snow White Turns Sixty for soprano and pierrot ensemble by Dale Trumbore, and regional premieres by David Biedenbender, Jessica Rudman, Gabrielle Owens, and Bruce Reiprich as well as the Boston premiere of Requiem: Songs for Sue by Oliver Knussen. Erin was engaged by Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre in the summers of 2008 and 2009, as well as the winter of 2009 and performed the roles of Fiametta in The Gondoliers, Despina (cover) in Cosi fan Tutte and Little Red in the children’s opera Little Red’s Most Unsusal Day as well as the choruses of Verdi’s Aida and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. Also during the summer of 2009, Erin performed the role of Contessa Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Bay View Music Festival in Michigan, where her performance was praised as “formidable” by the Petoskey News-Review. In 2008, Erin was selected to travel to Milan, Italy to study the role of Donna Elvira for a week-long Don Giovanni master class with acclaimed Swiss stage director, Georges Delnon. Erin was also granted the Diether Haenicke Scholarship to study at the American Institute for Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria during the summer of 2006. A Michigan native, Erin completed her Bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University in Vocal Performance and Music Education. She went on to earn her Master’s degree in Vocal Performance from The University of Iowa, where she was the soprano recipient of the Walker Graduate Quartet Scholarship. In addition to performing, Erin is also an experienced voice teacher and music educator. She has helped students of all ages achieve their musical goals as a seasoned voice teacher. Erin has conducted choruses for both children and adults, and has served as music director of several musical productions including Disney's Beauty and the Beast, A Chorus Line (High School version), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, All Shook Up, and Legally Blonde. Currently, Erin serves as the co-managing Diva of Opera on Tap, New Hampshire Chapter. Erin is also a Lecturer of Voice at Saint Anselm College and serves as a staff singer at the Cathedral of St. Joseph In Manchester, NH. Erin also teaches High School Chorus and General Music in New Hampshire, and was a former Teaching Artist of the Metropolitan Opera Guild's Urban Voices program. She served as the Artistic Director for The Boston New Music Initiative for five years, and now serves on the Board of Directors for the organization. Erin is a member of The National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). |