Brinton Averil Smith, cello, has performed throughout the world as a solo, chamber, and orchestral musician. Mr. Smith appears regularly as soloist with the Houston Symphony, where he is the principal cellist, and is a faculty member of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and the Aspen and Sarasota music festivals. Smith was previously a member of the New York Philharmonic and the principal cellist of the San Diego and Fort Worth symphonies and is a regular guest teacher at the New World Symphony and in masterclasses throughout the world. His recordings of Rózsa’s Cello Concerto, chamber music of Fauré with Gil Shaham, his revival of Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Cello Concerto, and his most recent recording, Exiles in Paradise, were each lauded by critics worldwide, who noted his dedication to the musical ideals of the golden age of string playing. His solo performances have been broadcast throughout the world, including on CBS Sunday Morning, Performance Today, and SymphonyCast, while his live concert videos on YouTube have received over one million views. Mr. Smith was admitted part-time to Arizona State University at age ten and completed a bachelor’s degree in mathematics at age seventeen. He received his master’s and doctoral degrees at Juilliard studying with Zara Nelsova, whom he first met as a student at Aspen.