Called “a great musician…full of feeling and colors,” by composer Jacques Hétu, Dr. Tracy Anne Smith is garnering increasing praise for her expressive performances, rich tonal palette and musical control. Cuban guitarist and composer Leo Brouwer praised her “polyphonic hands” and “tremendous sound,” while American virtuoso Benjamin Verdery commended her “ability to express the emotion of a work to its core.” Even 80’s icon Sinbad offered, “I don’t know what she’s doing — but I know it’s deep.”
Smith has performed in concert in Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Italy, Germany, Spain and England. Her solo CD, Lilac.Star.Bird, heard on NPR’s Classical Guitar Alive, brings to light masterworks of the 20th and 21st centuries. Soundboard Magazine called Lilac.Star.Bird “exceedingly beautiful,” and exclaimed, “Smith gets some of the loveliest sounds I have ever heard from a Matthias Dammann guitar.” Minor 7th Online Magazine described it as “masterful…an absolute success…an opportunity to display her incredible versatility as a guitarist. The rich and oftentimes thundering tones Smith can produce are truly breathtaking.”
As a founding member of ChromaDuo with “Canadian guitar visionary” Rob MacDonald, she commissions and premieres new music. ChromaDuo’s debut CD released by Naxos records in July 2012, features world-premiere recordings of works dedicated to them by Stephen Goss, Christopher William Pierce and Roland Dyens. The pieces form the ongoing “ChromaDuo Collection,” published by Productions d’Oz. Reviewer Kirk Albrecht raves, “This is fine guitar music; no, this is fine music, period.” Byzantion states, “…their intonation, expressiveness and musical intelligence are unfailing.”
Following degrees at the Yale School of Music and University of Toronto, she completed a Doctorate at Peabody Conservatory under the guidance of Manuel Barrueco. Former teachers include Julian Gray, Benjamin Verdery, Norbert Kraft and Jeffrey McFadden. A proponent of the Suzuki method for young children as well as traditional lessons for all, Tracy knows that learning happens best in a supportive, productive and fun environment.