Philharmonic director speaks to University Chapter DAR
By Rachel Haynie

South Carolina Philharmonic Director Nicholas Smith (third from left) receives a certificate of appreciation for his willingness to speak to members of the University Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution. Second Vice-Regent Betty Jones, left; First Vice-Recent Beth Donelan; Smith, and Corresponding Secretary Dr.Constance Myers. Photo by Rachel Haynie, chapter member.

South Carolina Philharmonic and Artistic Director Nicholas Smith passionately referred to symphony as "an amazing art form," when he spoke recently to the University Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. His topic was "Holding Onto My Baton."

Smith told daughters at the meeting held at Shandon Presbyterian Church, "Music has no real national boundaries. The physicians were coming to Finland to study trace elements as a factor in heart disease because Finland has such a high rate of it," Smith explained. "They couldn't take the physicians to theatre or film because of language differences, but music is an international language, so they organized an evening of symphony." Smith called symphonies, including South Carolina's, international entertainment agencies.

Having conducted orchestras in a dozen countries, Smith is adroit at communicating with few words. He has directed numerous concerts with his baton as his communications cue-maker that were later broadcast on radio and television. He also has recorded CDs with Finnish, British, and Czech orchestras.

America has prevailed on the international symphony scene, Smith said. "Of the top symphonies in the world, America has nearly half." He told the story of Antonin Dvorak coming from Czechoslovakia to New York to start a conservatory, composing The New World Symphony and ultimately pioneering American's musical nationalism abroad.

"On Saturday for the concert in which Zuill Bailey was featured, we had 88 musicians on stage. They are paid per service which includes their rehearsals, travel to and from the Koger Center, and, of course, the concert itself." Smith said when all is tallied, these talented professionals barely make minimum wage. When practice is factored in, the rate drops even lower.

"This symphony has the fewest number of service sessions of any I know of. Musicians are expected to know every note before they come to the first rehearsal." Smith commended them for being "a very talented group of musicians; a number of them are world class. Columbia is very fortunate," but he noted the downward spiral of financial support does not reflect a city's appreciation for what it has.

For all the visual and performing art, one thing that is lacking, Smith said, is housing for the arts. He is artistic director for a state-of-the-art new theatre currently under construction on the Eau Claire High School campus in North Columbia.

"It has 1,200 seats, an orchestra pit on an electric lift, and everything you could possibly want in a theatre. I don't know another school that has this."

He enjoys performing large scale choral works and has conducted choirs from Germany, Belgium and Spain -- as well as his "home" countries of the United States, Finland and the United Kingdom.

Nicholas has probably conducted more concerts with fireworks than any other conductor in the world -- well over 300 at last count!

Smith is also artistic director of the Bollington Festival in England, where he occasionally lives.

Smith's abiding passion is to allow anyone and everyone, anywhere and everywhere in the world, the opportunity to enjoy orchestral music -- at least as much as he does.