Cori Smith

Violinist/fiddler Cori Smith is a teacher, performer, and student of many styles of string music. Cori was lucky to get off to a solid start in alternative style playing under the leadership of Bob Phillips, and at age eighteen she was hired as the only American in the world-renowned fiddle supergroup Barrage. After touring with Barrage for nearly two years, Cori came back home to Michigan to get her degree in music education with the hopes of teaching alt-styles string music. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>Cori also has extensive teaching experience; she is the founder and artistic director of Fiddlers ReStrung, the high school program which grew out of Bob Phillips' original Fiddlers Philharmonic in Saline, Michigan. Please see www.fiddlersrestrung.com for our mission statement, sound samples, photos, and upcoming performances. Cori also has experience teaching 4th-9th grade orchestras and classes as large as 120 students, 6th-8th grade fiddle clubs, and has directed Saline's summer orchestra and fiddle program for four years. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>As a clinician, Cori Smith has presented fiddle workshops at many middle and high schools; recent locations have included Clarkston, Saginaw, New York suburb Brewster, and Chicago suburb Naperville. Cori also works as a freelance artist and recently appeared in a music video with country artist Austin Scott. Be sure to check out her new acoustic trio, The Wild Wood, www.myspace.com/thewildwoodband which also includes multi-instrumentalists Kelly Pond and Eli Bender. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>Cori is currently completing her degree at music education's #1 ranked school in the country, Michigan State University and is a recipient of multiple academic and music scholarships. She studies classical violin with Dmitri Berlinsky, conducting with John Madden, and is active in MSU's reputable jazz program as well. Cori feels very fortunate to be able to spend so much time playing music and learning from her heroes, and she enjoys spending summers at as many fiddle camps and festivals as her time and income allow! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>Cori is also passionate about conservation and is particularly drawn to the plight of non-human primates, especially Africa's mountain gorillas which are one of the most beautiful, gentle, and intelligent creatures she's ever encountered, and one of the most endangered. To learn more about mountain gorillas or contribute to their fight for survival, please visit http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/mountaingorilla.. ..