William Smith is an American pianist, composer, and teacher currently pursuing his Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance studying under Mr. Wayman Chin. He began his musical studies at the age of six in his hometown of Augusta, GA and quickly fell in love with playing the instrument. William began his undergraduate career at Florida State University studying with Dr. David Kalhous. Highlights of this time include a third place finish in the Gulf Coast Steinway Society Piano Competition and attendance at the Gijón International Piano Festival, where he worked with teachers such as Amy Gustasfon, Douglas Humphries, José Ramón Méndez, Jean Saulnier, and Logan Skelton.

An advocate of contemporary music, William regularly performs music written from the 20th century to the modern day, including music by Adams, Boulez, Glass, Ligeti, and Stravinsky, and is regularly asked to participate in ensembles premiering new works by composers at the Longy School of Music. As a composer himself, William is highly influenced by the minimalist style and his works for choir and piano solo have been received positively by the musical community. As a Collaborative Piano Fellow at the Longy School of Music, William is also in high demand as a collaborator. His vast collaboration experience spans over several genres including vocal, chamber, concerto, and other instrumental repertoire.

As a teacher, William enjoys working with students of all ages, levels, and backgrounds. Teaching philosophy: “Teaching is an integral part of my life as an artist. I see the art of teaching to be a spiritual practice of sorts since it allows me to connect with a student as they develop their inner musical voice. Since each student is unique, I work with my students to create well-rounded programs which are geared to the student’s particular musical interests and capabilities. Rather than teaching students to play exactly as I do, it is my ultimate goal as a teacher to allow others to find and develop their own personal playing styles and interpretations.”