Susan Smith

Susan K. Smith has been the Trombone Instructor at Austin Peay State University since 1994. She held the position of Assistant Principal Trombone in The Nashville Symphony Orchestra from 1994-2017.

She earned a BME from The University of Kansas and a MM from the University of North Texas.  She has also served as Instructor of Trombone at McNeese State University, Notre Dame, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and The University of North Texas as a teaching fellow.

Besides having free lanced several years in New York City and Chicago, she has performed one to three seasons with the following Orchestras:

• Baltimore Symphony
• Florida Orchestra
• Grant Park Symphony
• Springfield Symphony
• South Bend Symphony
• Illinois Philharmonic
• Naples Philharmonic
• Chicago Sinfonietta
• Civic Orchestra of Chicago
• Lake Charles Symphony
• American Wind Symphony

While freelancing in Chicago, she substituted and played extra with the Chicago Symphony and was a member of The Chicago Trombones and The Millar Brass Ensemble.

Other performance experience include back stage parts at the Metropolitan Opera, the 2:00 Jazz Band at UNT and Sackbutt ensemble (Eb Alto) at UNT and KU.

Involvement with the International Trombone Association include:

• 1982-winner of ITA solo scholarship competition (Frank Smith award)
• 1997-served on ITF faculty as soloist and clinician
• 1998-ITF College Teachers Trombone Choir
• 2000-served on ITF faculty as soloist and clinician     

Her first trombone teacher was Otto Blankle and her college teachers were Richard Cryder, Stephen Anderson, Leon Brown and Per Brevig.  

Her Orchestral teachers were Charles Vernon, Frank Crisafulli, John Kitzman, Ed  Kleinhammer, Steve Norrell, Jay Friedman and Arnold Jacobs.