Last updated: 4 days ago
Los Angeles-based composer and guitarist Mark Charles Smith’s works have been performed in diverse venues across the United States, including the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) Festival, Lincoln Center, and Eastern Music Festival, as well as in Spain, Canada, Australia, and Iceland.
Mark recently completed his set Twenty-Four Preludes for Guitar (2024), a collection of short, stylistically varied pieces—one in every major and minor key—that explore the full expressive range of the instrument. Drawing from the influence of Chopin and Scriabin, as well as contemporary classical, folk, funk, and rock traditions, the collection traverses a wide emotional and stylistic spectrum. At once lyrical, harmonically rich, and rhythmically driven, the preludes push the expressive and technical boundaries of the guitar. He is currently recording the set, with premiere performances in planning.
Recent concert highlights include the North American premiere of his composition We Are All In This Together for guitar soloist with guitar ensemble by Grammy Award-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux at the Eastern Music Festival, with additional performances in Iceland, North Carolina, and at Zion National Park in Utah. Summer 2022 saw the Spanish premiere of the piece, featuring soloist Xavier Jara with the United States Guitar Orchestra, under the baton of Dr. Kami Rowan.
Mark recently completed his set Twenty-Four Preludes for Guitar (2024), a collection of short, stylistically varied pieces—one in every major and minor key—that explore the full expressive range of the instrument. Drawing from the influence of Chopin and Scriabin, as well as contemporary classical, folk, funk, and rock traditions, the collection traverses a wide emotional and stylistic spectrum. At once lyrical, harmonically rich, and rhythmically driven, the preludes push the expressive and technical boundaries of the guitar. He is currently recording the set, with premiere performances in planning.
Recent concert highlights include the North American premiere of his composition We Are All In This Together for guitar soloist with guitar ensemble by Grammy Award-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux at the Eastern Music Festival, with additional performances in Iceland, North Carolina, and at Zion National Park in Utah. Summer 2022 saw the Spanish premiere of the piece, featuring soloist Xavier Jara with the United States Guitar Orchestra, under the baton of Dr. Kami Rowan.
