Leslee Smucker

Smucker's academic background is impressive, holding a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Colorado Boulder, two master's degrees in performance and chamber music from the University of South Florida, and a Bachelor's degree in music with a minor in art from Goshen College. Her teachers include notable figures such as Harumi Rhodes, Lina Bahn, Carolyn Stuart, Monica Germino, and Solomia Soroka, highlighting her comprehensive training and diverse influences.

Throughout her career, Smucker has engaged in numerous inter-art projects, demonstrating her commitment to interdisciplinary art forms. One of her notable projects, 'Fantaisies en Spirale,' was performed at Association Philomuses in Paris. Another significant work, 'Personae,' based on the unknown music of the poet Ezra Pound, premiered at the 37th Annual Meeting of the T.S. Eliot Society in Rapallo, Italy. Her album 'Personae,' released in April 2017, features performances of Pound's music and contemporary compositions inspired by Pound's 'Sestina: Altaforte'.

Smucker's dedication to her craft has led her to perform solo appearances with the Maple City Chamber Ensemble and the University of Colorado Campus Orchestra. She has also been the recipient of several Dean’s Grants at CU Boulder and was the winner of the Concerto-Aria competition at Goshen College.

In addition to her performance career, Smucker is deeply involved in academic pursuits, with an upcoming publication in the Ezra Pound Edinburgh Companion to the Arts. Her role as an educator is further emphasized by her position as the Coordinator of Sonology at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague.

Smucker's work has been recognized and celebrated in various platforms and festivals, including Rewire Festival, where she utilized violin, voice, synthesizers, electronics, film, and poetry for a Sensory Sensitive Concert. Her album 'Breathing Landscape,' inspired by Muriel Rukeyser's poem and recorded in an abandoned water tank in rural northwest Colorado, showcases her ability to create immersive soundscapes.

https://www.lesleesmucker.com

https://lesleesmucker.bandcamp.com