About

Music has shaped who I am, not only as a musician, but as a person.

My Story

Finding My Voice

Music has always been a part of who I am, but I think I first discovered just how much it could mean to me when a friend, a year older than I was, was practicing their instrument for fifth-grade band. I remember being mesmerized by the sound, the mechanics of making music, and the way feelings could be expressed without words.

The following year, when I had the opportunity to learn an instrument, I chose the flute. Its sound felt like an extension of my own voice -- kind, gentle, and soft-spoken. As I grew as a musician, however, I discovered that there was much more to the than I first imagined. It could be powerful, energetic, playful, and deeply expressive. In many ways, that mirrored something I was discovering about myself; there was more to me than my quiet and reserved nature.

Finding Community

School band was my opportunity to learn an instrument, as my family did not have many other opportunities for music education. But band quickly became more than a class. It was a place where I belonged and where I felt successful.

We learned and made music together, worked toward shared goals, represented our school, and brought spirit to our community. Whether we were performing technically challenging music, shaping a moving slow piece, or bringing excitement to a pep rally, I experienced how music could bring people together.

Music also became a way for me to express emotions that did not always come easily through words. Performing gave me a sense of expression and relief, while making music with others created a different kind of connection; one built through listening, responding, and understanding one another.

Discovering a Love of Teaching

I have always loved learning, even though the traditional school environment was not always the easiest fit for me. I also discovered that I loved helping others understand what I had learned. I especially loved seeing the spark of excitement when something finally clicked for someone.

In high school, I began tutoring beginning flute students. My band teacher noticed this and encouraged me to pursue music education. I will always be grateful that he saw something in me that I had not yet fully recognized in myself.

Since then, I have taught general music and band in public schools, worked with students in different settings, performed, taught clinics, and continued learning from other musicians and educators. Through these experiences, I have continually asked myself: What helps student thrive? What makes learning meaningful? What opportunities are missing?

Building a Vision

Those questions have shaped the kind of musician and educator I want to be and the kind of studio I hope to create.

I believe music can be more than an activity or a lesson. It can be a way to express ourselves, challenge ourselves to grow, find confidence, and connect with others. My hope is to create a musical community where students can develop strong foundations while discovering their own voices and experiencing the many ways music can become part of their lives.

Why Music Smithy?

Music Smithy is a play on words, with a few meanings that are important to me.

A smithy is traditionally a workshop where a smith works with raw materials to create and shape something new. With my last name being Smith, the connection felt natural, but I also liked the idea of a music studio as a kind of workshop; a place where we come to learn, practice, experiment, and create.

The second meaning is more metaphorical. Much like the work of a smith, learning music takes time, effort, patience, and persistence. There will be mistakes and moments of frustration, but there is also the reward of seeing something take shape through your work. A skill that once felt difficult becomes familiar. An idea becomes music. Something that once existed only in your imagination becomes something you can create and share.

Music Smithy represents that process of shaping something through music; one skill, one challenge, and one discovery at a time.

My Philosophy

I believe music is more than the ability to play an instrument. It is a way to express what we sometimes cannot put into words, discover parts of ourselves, and connect with others.

Music gives us a voice. For me, performing has provided a way to express emotions that do not always come easily through words. I believe everyone deserves opportunities to discover their own ways of expressing themselves through music.

Music helps us grow. Learning an instrument requires patience, curiosity, discipline, creativity, and the willingness to make mistakes and try again. The skills we develop through music can become part of how we approach challenges and learning throughout our lives.

Music connects us. Some of my most meaningful musical experiences have come from making music with other people. Whether in an ensemble, a classroom, on a stage, or within a community, music gives us opportunities to listen, collaborate, share, and belong.

This is why I believe music should be experienced as both a craft and a journey; one that helps us express ourselves, grow with purpose, and connect with the world around us.

Passing It On

Much of who I am as a musician and educator is the result of the people and communities who invested in me along the way. My teachers and mentors gave me opportunities to learn, encouraged me when I was still discovering what I was capable of, and helped shape my understanding of what music could mean in a person's life. My own perseverance and the experiences I've gained through performing, teaching, and learning have continued to shape me as well.

I don't take those opportunities for granted. I hope to pass them on.

Through teaching, performance, mentorship, and community involvement, I hope to create opportunities for the next generation of musicians and music lovers to experience the same sense of discovery, growth, and belonging that music has given me. Whether that means helping a beginning student find confidence, encouraging a developing musician to pursue something they didn't think was possible, or simply creating a space where people can experience music together, I believe investing in others is one of the most meaningful ways I can honor the people who invested in me.

With what was given to me, I hope to carry forward.

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