A student of the Berky Music Academy, Daniel Smith has been playing the flute for 12 years under the tutelage of Julia Fekete-Berky. Since beginning, he has performed in the Bartok Festival, been co-winner of the Beethoven or Busk Classical Music Festival, won many prizes in numerous eisteddfods, made radio broadcasts with 2MBS FM and ABC Classic FM and tutors at various music camps as well as privately.
Last year, he was awarded his Associate Diploma of Music, Australia (A.Mus.A.) and in 1998, the Sydney Directory of Music Teachers Senior Scholarship. Just recently, he was awarded the Berky Music Academy Scholarship for Chamber Music and the Olive Silverster Scholarship.
Daniel is also principal flute in the Senior Band of the Epping RSL Golden Kangaroos/Hornsby Concert Band and in 1997 toured Europe with them. Drama is another of Daniel’s passions and in 1998, he performed as a principal role in a production of the Broadway musical, Bye Bye Birdie. Another source of enjoyment is creative computing.
Fortunate meetings with James Galway and Jane Rutter and masterclasses/short study with Janet Webb, Vernon Hill, Virginia Taylor and Don Burrows have inspired Daniel in his quest for performing. Meeting with David Helfgott was an absolute highlight, his advice being, Start now... keep smiling!
In 1999, Daniel was a finalist in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s James Fairfax Young Artists Program, conducted a rehearsal of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra which was broadcast on Channel 9, studied conducting with Finnish Conductor, Maestro Jorma Panula as part of Symphony Australia’s Conductor Development Program and held a sell-out concert in aid of St. Vincent de Paul's Winter Appeal.
In May 1997 he held his debut concert and also staged a recital in August 1998. In the near future he hopes to participate in the ABC Young Performers Award and partake in his first tour. His dream, one day, is to study with James Galway, Pedro Eustache and composers, Yanni and John Williams.
For further details, see Daniel Smith's web site