{{short description|American musician}} {{More citations needed|date=April 2026}} thumb|right|Stuart Saunders Smith in 2008
'''Stuart Saunders Smith''' (16 March 1948 - 3 June 2024) was an American composer and percussionist. After having studied composition and music theory at three music institutions, Smith was based in Vermont, United States, with his wife Sylvia. He produced almost 200 compositions, half of which were written for percussion instruments with a focus on the vibraphone.<ref name=NC>{{cite web |title=Stuart Saunders Smith |url=http://neworkscalgary.com/bio-stuart-saunders-smith/ |website=Neworks Calgary |access-date=27 October 2020}}{{failed verification|date=January 2022|reason=Nothing about Smith there.}}</ref>
==Life== Smith was born in Portland, Maine. He started studying composition and percussion at six years old with Charles Newcomb, who was previously a vaudeville performer and exposed him to many musical styles e.g. Latin music, waltz, Dixieland. Smith has attributed a "physical" form of music composition to Newcomb. From the age of 13, Smith began performing publicly in clubs and dance venues. At the age of 18, Smith went on to Berklee School of Music where he furthered his studies in counterpoint, harmony and musical arrangements. He continued to study percussion and composition at Hartt College of Music from 1967 to 1972. He received his DMA in music composition at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1977, where he studied under Herbert Brün, Salvatore Martirano, and Benjamin Johnston.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.leehinkle.com/album-release-at-seventy-the-percussion-music-of-stuart-saunders-smith/ | title=Album Release – at Seventy: The Percussion Music of Stuart Saunders Smith – Lee Hinkle | date=17 November 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| title=The Music of Stuart Saunders-Smith | url=https://music-web.ucsd.edu/concerts/concert_programs/2013-14/Winter%202014/20140130-Forum3.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617045402/https://music-web.ucsd.edu/concerts/concert_programs/2013-14/Winter%202014/20140130-Forum3.pdf | archive-date=2021-06-17}}</ref>
Alongside Newcomb, his other percussion teachers included Fred Budha, Al Dawson, Alexander Lepak, and Thomas Siwe.<ref name=NC />
==Music== Smith has composed over 150 works. In categorizing Smith's work, four primary areas of focus have been identified: music of extreme rhythmic and melodic intricacy; musical mobiles with instrumental parts that freely interact; text-based compositions; trans-media systems for any kind of performing artist(s). Smith uses language (in the form of body language, melody and speech) as the core of each of these styles.{{sfn|Welsh|1995|p={{page needed|date=January 2022}}}}
Smith's percussion-theater music forms the core of that literature with notable pieces including''Poems I II III'', ''...And Points North'', ''Tunnels'', ''Clay Singing'' and twenty-six compositions of that genre.{{sfn|Welsh|1995|p={{page needed|date=January 2022}}}}
Smith has recorded with compositions on labels such as New World Records, Ravello Records, Centaur, Innova, 11 West Records, O.O. Discs, Equilibrium, GAC, Soundset Recordings, and Chen Li.
In addition, anthologies of new music have included his theater music, and music of rhythmic intricacy: ''Here and There'', MacMillan Publishing, New York City; ''Return and Recall'', Assembling Press, New York City; ''Faces'', ASUC, New York City; and ''Transitions and Leaps'', Mark Batty Publications, New York City. Articles on his music have been published regularly throughout the years in such journals as: ''Perspectives of New Music'', ''Percussive Notes'', ''Interface'', and ''ex tempore''.
==Writings== Smith is the author of several articles on his music and the music of others. There have also been a number of articles written about Smith's music.
'''''Perspectives of New Music'''''
"Communications" by Stuart Smith * Vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 269–277 (1973)
"A Portrait of Herbert Brün" by Stuart Smith and Sylvia Smith * Vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 56–75 (1979)
"Visual Music" by Sylvia Smith and Stuart Smith * Volume 20, no. 1–2, pp. 75–93 (1981)
"A Composer’s Mosaic" by Stuart Smith * Vol. 22, no. 1–2, pp. 275–285 (1983)
"Return and Recall (Improvisation – The First Step) at U. M. B. C." by Stuart Smith * Vol. 22, no. 1–2, pp. 286–289 (1983)
"Notes on Stuart Smith’s Return and Recall: A View From Within" by Linda Fiore * Vol. 22, no. 1–2, pp. 290–302 (1983)
"Aussie Blue (Day in the Summer in 1985) for Piano (Pianist Also Plays Triangle and Sings) Commissioned by Chris Mann" by Stuart Saunders Smith * Vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 300–305 (1988)
"Against Definition" by Stuart Smith * Vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 214–218 (1994)
"To Suffer Music" by Stuart Smith * Vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 106–112 (1996)
"Showing and Saying" by Stuart Smith * Vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 116–121 (1996)
"Inner-views: A Conversation between Stuart Saunders Smith and Tom Goldstein" by Stuart Saunders Smith and Tom Goldstein * Vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 187–199 (1998)
"Stuart Saunders Smith's ''Links No. 6 (Song Interiors)'': How Can I Tell what I Think Until I See What I Sing?" by Ron Hess * Vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 211–232 (2009)
"Interview with Stuart Saunders Smith" by Kristina Der * Vol. 55, no. 2, pp. 219–233 (2017)
'''''Percussive Notes'''''
"Music Notation as Visual Art" by Sylvia Smith and Stuart Smith * Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 49–54 (1981)
"Focus on Performance: The Noble Snare – A Concert of Snare Drum Solos" by Brian Johnson * Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 52–54 (1989)
"Having Words With John Cage" by Stuart Saunders Smith * Vol. 30, No. 3, pp. 48–52 (1992)
"Percussion in Discussion (Language, Percussion, and My Speech Songs)" by Stuart Saunders Smith * Vol. 31, No. 8, pp. 71–73 (1993)
"Thinking On Tools – Touching My Trade – or – The Touch in Time Is Mine" by Stuart Saunders Smith * Vol. 31, No. 8, pp. 74–79 (1993)
"Percussion Ecology: Doing More With Less – Music for a Small Planet" by Stuart Saunders Smith * Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 62–63 (1994)
"Against Definition" by Stuart Saunders Smith * Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 63–64 (1994)
"Showing and Saying (1994)" by Stuart Saunders Smith * Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 68–70 (1995)
"The Links Series of Vibraphone Essays: A Personal View/A Concert Review" by Christopher Shultis * Vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 70–74 (1996)
"An Interview with Sylvia Smith on the 30th Anniversary of Smith Publications and Sonic Arts Editions" by Carrie Rose * Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 74–79 (2004)
"The Geography of Time: The Links Series of Vibraphone Essays (1974–1994)" by Stuart Saunders Smith * Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 58–62 (2005)
"The History and Significance of The Noble Snare" by Jason Baker * Vol. 44, No. 3, pp. 72–77 (2006)
"Stuart Saunders Smith's ''Links No. 6 (Song Interiors)'' How Can I Tell What I Think Until I See What I Sing?" by Ron Hess * Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 42–50 (2010)
"Stuart Saunders Smith’s ''Ground'' for Solo Glockenspiel: Clear Complexity" by Rob Falvo * Vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 42–49 (2011)
"Interview with Stuart Smith: On the Formation and Early Years of the PAS New Music/Research Committee" by Dr. Eugene Novotney * Vol. 49, No.5, pp. 32–33 (2011)
"The Silence… An Introduction to the Inner World of Stuart Saunders Smith" by Jose "Zeca" Lacerda * Vol. 50, no. 6, pp. 40–47 (2012)
"Amidst the Noise: Stuart Saunders Smith’s Percussion Music" by Jeremy Muller * Vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 6–15 (2014)
"Night Suite: Interviews with Stuart Saunders Smith and Berndt Thurner" by Rose Martin * Vol. 56, no.3, pp. 20–25 (2018)
'''''Percussive Notes Research Edition'''''
"Music Notation as Visual Art" by Sylvia Smith and Stuart Smith * Vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 7–14 (1981)
"Interview with John Cage" by Dr. Stuart Smith * Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 3–7 (1983)
"Stuart Smith’s ''Links'' Series" by John P. Welsh * Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 75–89 (1983)
"Lecture by Dr. Thomas DeLio" by Dr. Thomas DeLio * Vol. 22, No. 6, pp. 76–81 (1984)
"Scribing Sound" by Sylvia Smith * Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 34–51 (1985)
'''''Percussionist'''''
"Avant Garde Percussion" by Stuart Smith * Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 3–4 (1972)
"The Early Percussion Music of John Cage" by Stuart Smith * Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 16–27 (1978)
"Lou Harrison’s 'Fugue' for Percussion" by Stuart Smith * Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 47–56 (1979)
'''''Interface'''''
"Music in the Air Here and There – A Radio Landscape" by John P. Welsh * Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 199–223 (1984)
"Viewing Mobile Minds: Stuart Smith's Gifts" by John P. Welsh * Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 219–245 (1987)
'''''ex tempore'''''
"Thoughts of Stuart Saunders Smith on Quakerism, Trans-Media and Democracy" by Stuart Smith and Christine Humphries * Vol. 7, No. 2 (1995)
"Family Portraits: 'Delbert (great-grandfather)' and Self Interview on the Thirtieth Year of Smith Publications and Sonic Art Editions" by Sylvia Smith * Vol. 13, No. 2 (2007)
"A Composer’s Mosaic: Selected Entries from the Composing Journals of Stuart Saunders Smith (1985–1986)" by Stuart Saunders Smith * Vol. 14, No. 1 (2008)
"Interview with Stuart Saunders Smith" by Jude Traxler * Vol. 14, No. 1 (2008)
Smith is the author of two books: ''Twentieth Century Music Scores'', an anthology, (Prentice-Hall, 1989), co-edited with Thomas DeLio; ''Words and Spaces'', an anthology, (University Press, 1989), co-authored with Thomas DeLio. In addition, he is currently writing ''Composing, Thoughts'', a book of experimental writings about aesthetics, language, composition, listening, and religion. Part I of this book was published in ''The Modern Percussion Revolution: Journeys of the Progressive Artist'', edited by Kevin Lewis and Gustavo Aguilar (Routledge, 2014). John P. Welsh's ''The Music of Stuart Saunders Smith'' is published by Greenwood Press (1995).
Smith's service works on the behalf of music includes organizing hundreds of concerts of new music, functioning as a lobbyist for the arts for the American Society of University Composers during the Reagan presidency, and as Executive Editor of ''Percussive Notes, Research Edition'' from 1982 to 1984.
==Awards== His awards and honors include three UMBC Research Grants, The Hartt College Distinguished Alumni Award, East/West Artist Award, three Maryland State Artists Fellowships, the National Endowment for the Arts Composer's Fellowship, Percussive Arts Society Service Award and the Atlantic Center's Master Artist Award.
==Testimonials== Smith titled his ongoing series of vibraphone compositions "Links," a name that reflects the connections within and between his individual works. Furthermore, the title represents the intersection of his various professional roles, including his work as a composer, performer, educator, writer, and musical activist.
Originally from Maine, Smith maintained an independent artistic direction despite studying under several influential composition teachers. While he cites jazz as a primary influence, his music does not explicitly mirror that genre or the specific styles of his instructors. Instead, his work integrates various musical elements into a unified style where the original influences are no longer distinctly recognizable. (Milton Babbitt, quoted in {{harvnb|Welsh|1995|p=ix|pp=}})
Ben Johnston has noted Smith's contributions to jazz and open-form composition, attributing his approach to his background as both a percussionist and a jazz improviser. Johnston suggests that Smith’s work is heavily influenced by a "poetic consciousness," resulting in a compositional style that prioritizes a specific artistic center of gravity over traditional ratiocination or expression. (quoted in {{harvnb|Welsh|1995|p=xii|pp=}})
==Compositions== '''1970'''
* ''Poems I, II, III'' for five brake drums and narrator * ''One for Syl'' for solo vibraphone
'''1971'''
*''One for Two'' for alto saxophone and organ *''A Gift for Bessie'' for violin, piano, bassoon, and percussion
'''1972'''
*''Here and There'' for shortwave radio, piano interior (percussion) and any melody instrument or voice *''Legacy Variations No. 1'' for any three sustaining melody instruments *''Legacy Variations No. 99'' for any three sustaining melody instruments *''Three for Two'' for violin and viola *''Two for Four'' for percussion quartet (orchestra bells, vibraphone, cymbal, large and medium gong, xylophone, marimba, timpani, temple blocks, and various small percussion instruments).
'''1973'''
*''Rock Garden'' for organ and two percussion
'''1974'''
*''Faces'' for oboe and clarinet *''Gifts'' for keyboard and any two melody instruments *''Links'' for solo vibraphone
'''1975'''
*''Links no. 2'' for solo vibraphone *''Links no. 3'' for solo vibraphone
'''1976'''
*''Return and Recall / Initiatives and Reactions: Studies in the Concept of Group Composition'' performance systems for actors, dancers, musicians, mimes, etc.
'''1977''' * ''Pinetop'' for solo piano
'''1978''' * ''Flight'' for flute and piano
'''1979''' * ''Blue'' for trumpet, drum set and double bass
'''1980''' * ''Notebook'' for any instruments in any combination * ''Notebook, Part II'' for one or two pianos (may be played with ''Notebook'') '''1981''' * ''Songs I–IX'' for percussionist-actor (small percussion instruments and various household items from kitchen) '''1982''' * ''Tunnels'' a solo music-text-theater composition for keyboard, string, or multiple percussion * ''Links No. 4 (Monk)'' for solo vibraphone '''1983''' * ''Blue Too'' for solo drum set * ''By Language Embellished: I'' percussion / theater opera for speaking voice '''1984''' * ''Some Household Words I–XVI'' for solo speaking voice '''1985''' * ''Aussie Blue'' for solo piano * ''In Bingham'' for solo speaker/narrator '''1987''' * ''Links No. 5 (Sitting on the Edge of Nothing)'' for solo vibraphone with offstage orchestra bells and chimes '''1988''' * ''The Noble Snare'' for solo snare drum
'''1989''' * ''Links No. 6 (Song Interiors)'' for vibraphone and piano * ''Links No. 7 (New England Night Weave)'' for solo vibraphone '''1990''' * ''...And Points North'' a music-theater work for solo percussionist/narrator (wood block, small Peking opera gong, Tibetan cymbal, glass wind chimes, owl hooter, hawk screamer, pod rattles, Audubon bird call, "found" instruments from the city and the woods) * ''Transitions and Leaps'' for two or more performers performing any sounds/actions '''1991''' * ''"as if time would heal by its passing'' for solo marimba * ''Family Portraits: Sylvia (wife)'' for solo piano * ''Family Portraits: Ivy (grandmother)'' for solo piano * ''Family Portraits: Earle (father)'' for solo piano * ''Hawk'' for solo oboe * ''In Common'' for flute and vibraphone * ''Links No. 8 (Confessions-Witness to 48 Things)'' for vibraphone with flute * ''Nightshade'' for violin or medium voice and two percussionists, each playing orchestra bells (glockenspiel), tam-tam or gong, two cymbals, two triangles '''1992''' * ''Good Night'' for solo marimba * ''Links No. 9 (Mosque)'' for solo vibraphone * ''Meetings'' for flute, vibraphone and piano '''1993''' * ''Each Moment and Ending'' for keyboard percussion quintet * ''Part'' for flute, piano, and cello * ''Thaw'' for solo orchestra bells (glockenspiel) * ''Links No. 10 (Who Are We? Where Are We?)'' for solo vibraphone '''1994''' * ''Family Portraits: Brenda (first cousin)'' for solo piano * ''Links No. 11 (Regions I–XXI)'' for three vibraphones * ''Wind in the Channel'' for solo tenor recorder '''1995''' * ''Family Portraits: Delbert (great-grandfather)'' for percussionist/narrator (playing woodblock, logs, and newspaper) * ''Strays'' for xylophone and tenor recorder or flute '''1996''' * ''Family Portraits: Cubba (grandfather)'' for trumpet, flute, and five percussion (tom-toms and triangles) * ''Family Portraits: Mom and Dad Together'' for solo double bass * ''Polka in Treblinka'' for percussion trio (bass drum, xylophone, snare drum and high hat) '''1997''' * ''Family Portrait: Self (in 14 stations)'' for solo piano * ''The Night is Never Long'' for piccolo and xylophone '''1998''' * ''Closing'' for solo guitar * ''Fences in Three Tragedies'' for solo piano * ''When Music is Missing, Music Sings'' for two percussionists playing five "found" instruments each '''1999''' * ''All That is Left'' orchestra bells (glockenspiel) duet * ''And Sometimes the Ears'' for solo tenor steel drum * ''Even Song'' for solo orchestra bells (glockenspiel) * ''Leaving'' for solo marimba '''2000''' * ''Books of Flutes'' for solo flute * ''Bones'' for percussion, piano, and 3 or 4 melody instruments * ''Endless'' for two flutes and two vibraphones * ''The Geography of Streams'' for percussion trio (xylophone solo with two sets of orchestra bells, two bass drums, claves, and woodblocks) * ''Thinking About Anne Sexton'' duo for vibraphone and speaking voice '''2001''' * ''Breath'' for mezzo-soprano and orchestra bells (glockenspiel) * ''Family Portraits: Ligeia (daughter)'' for soprano voice and piano * ''Light A Dew'' for solo double bass * ''Minor'' for solo violin
'''2002'''
*''Asleep in Thorns'' for guitar and flute *''Brush'' for solo drum set *''Dad's Time Had Come'' for solo xylophone *''Dead Reckoning'' for tenor recorder trio *''Things That Grow Smaller'' for flute, clarinet, bassoon, piano, and percussion *''Two Lights'' for solo drum set
'''2003''' * ''Family Portraits: Embden Pond'' for solo alto flute with two vibraphones * ''Willow'' for solo cello * ''Wounded'' an antiphonal composition for 3 or 4 xylophones
'''2004'''
*''Hearts'' for solo violin *''Ground'' for solo orchestra bells (glockenspiel) *''Plenty'' thirty-four movements for solo vibraphone
'''2005''' * ''Clay Singing'' for solo percussion with spoken text * ''Family Portraits: Erika (daughter)'' for vibraphone and violin * ''In Hours Like These''<!--Is this capitalized properly?--> for soprano voice and orchestra bells (glockenspiel) * ''A River, Rose'' for violin and vibraphone * ''When The Body Betrays'' for tenor voice and double seconds steel drums * ''Women in Meeting'' flute duet '''2006''' * ''The Authors'' for solo marimba with spoken text * ''Big Falls, Little Falls'' for percussion quartet and off-stage percussion ensemble (4) * ''Castine'' for marimba with offstage voice * ''Magdalene'' for soprano saxophone and two percussion * ''Over'' for solo orchestra bells (glockenspiel) * ''Rose'' for flute with spoken text and movement * ''A Vietnam Memorial'' opera for speaking voice and vibraphone '''2007''' * ''Among Us'' for solo piano * ''Light'' for two voices * ''Light in Each One'' for solo alto flute * ''The Lines of Ageing'' for solo vibraphone * ''The Narrow Path'' trio for two vibraphones and orchestra bells (glockenspiel) * ''Quilt'' for vibraphone and orchestra bells * ''Seven Seasons'' for contralto voice and vibraphone * ''Angels'' for percussion trio, three triangles each * ''as the days get shorter'' for solo bass clarinet (revised 2018) '''2008''' * ''Mornings'' for solo vibraphone * ''Apart'' for 2 orchestra bells and vibraphone * ''The Narrow Path'' for 2 vibraphones and orchestra bells * ''Family Portraits: Justin'' for vibraphone/voice * ''Shine'' for piccolo and orchestra bells '''2009''' * ''The Home of the Brave'' for percussionist/actor performing on a 2X4, 3 bottles, and 5 metal objects * ''To Freshen the Moment'' for cello and vibraphone * ''Far Away'' for solo chimes * ''Wait'' for solo marimba * ''GodSongs'' for actor singer and orchestra bells (one player) (revised 2018) '''2010''' * ''Time Comes Full Circle'' for cello and violin * ''Thicket'' for orchestra bells or piano * ''All Too Human'' for soprano and clarinet * ''Winter, Knee Deep'' for flute/theater * ''They Looked Like Strangers'' for solo vibraphone * ''Winter Songs'' for violin/theater '''2011''' * ''Three Winter Carols'' for orchestra bells/voice * ''Winter'' for any winds, strings, keyboard, mallet percussion * ''New England'' for vibraphone '''2012''' * ''Palm Sunday'' for piano * ''A Liturgy of the Hours'' for flute * ''Our Father'' for soprano * ''Heaven and Earth'' for organ * ''Five Books'' for orchestra bells '''2013''' * ''Blessings'' for soprano and clarinet * ''A Good Friday'' for clarinet * ''By Hand'' for bongos * ''The Lilies of the Field'' for vibraphone and female voice * ''Across: Lines'' for orchestra bells/xylophone/vibraphone/marimba/chimes/voice, one player * ''My Friend Gita Said:'' for marimba/voice * ''Lyric'' for percussion theater * ''The Shapes Beneath the Ground'' for marimba '''2014''' * ''Crystal Night'' for violin and percussion quartet * ''Memory'' for any soloist * ''Lazarus'' for piano or vibraphone/actor/singer * ''Past Regrets'' for double bass/singer/actor or cello * ''Lady Slippers'' for harp, viola, alto flute * ''Queen Anne's Lace'' for vibraphone * ''The Deep'' for vibraphone '''2015''' * ''Re:Verse'' trans-media work for any two performance artists * ''Wellspring'' for orchestra bells * ''Echo'' for 1–8 singers * ''Evening Primrose'' for vibraphone solo with two drumsets * ''Commune'', vibraphone concerto with small chamber ensemble * ''Meadow Sweet'' for marimba and clarinet * ''Here's the Sun'' for cello solo '''2016''' * ''Inner Light'' for solo violin * ''Halo'' for solo vibraphone * ''The Circle of Light'' for flute solo and eight luminists/actors * ''Family Portraits: Our Home'' for soprano voice and vibraphone * ''Easter in Bingham'' for alto saxophone and actor/vibraphone * ''Milk and Honey'' for vibraphone and harp * ''Alone'' for solo vibraphone * ''Men's Culture'' for soprano saxophone and xylophone, two actors * ''My Romance'' for solo orchestra bells or vibraphone or piano * ''Alone in a Room'' for solo orchestra bells and percussion quartet (triangles) '''2017''' * ''Emily'' for jazz/electric guitar and piano * ''Mercy'' for large percussion orchestra * ''Dignity'' for soprano voice, vibraphone, and actor * ''History'' for marimba, vibraphone, and piano * ''When We Were Giants'' for guitar (2014–2017) * ''The Untold Range'' for 3–5 percussionists, chimes, and pre-recorded environmental sounds * ''Lace'' for orchestra bells duet and soprano '''2018''' * ''as the days get shorter'' for solo bass clarinet * ''Envelope Poems'' for vibraphonist / vocalist and offstage melody instrument * ''Winter Taps'' for 2 actors and vibraphone duet * ''Lace'' for orchestra bells duet and soprano * ''Honesty'' for flute and vibraphone * ''Family Portraits: Harriet'' for vibraphone * ''Family Portraits: Harpreet'' for violin and vibraphone * ''Holy Week'' for vibraphone * ''Compassion'' for vibraphone * ''My Better Angel'' for vibraphone * ''Family Portraits: Self at 70'' for flute, double bass, and drumset * ''Family Portraits: Sylvia at 70'' for pian '''2019''' * ''Afterlife'' concerto for marimba with large percussion orchestra * ''Poetry'' for marimba and actor/actress * ''A Friend's End'' for actor/actress and offstage flute and chimes * ''Regrets'' for double bass and soprano * ''Older Years'' for alto flute and actor * ''The Vibraphone Poems'' for vibraphone and voice (one player) * ''Peace'' for bass flute, flute, piccolo (one player) * ''Eternity'' for solo vibraphone * ''Love'' for violin and piano '''2020''' * ''Shattered'' for solo drum set * ''Renoir's Piano'' for piano, vibraphone, and flute * ''Past'' for marimba solo * ''East of Eden'' for soprano saxophone and drum set * ''Inner Light'' for violin, piano, and vibraphone * ''Dusk'' for steel band * ''Cries and Whispers'' for vibraphone and speaking/singing voice (one player) * ''Shoreline'' for viola and vibraphone * ''Emotion'' for large percussion ensemble * ''Happy Hour'' for solo vibraphone '''2021''' * ''Sadness'' for double bass and soprano voice * ''Life'' for piano and voice (one player) * ''Sadness'' for double bass and soprano * ''Some Household Words'' for sound text percussion duo * ''Tears'' for vibraphone and string quartet * ''Letters'' for guitar and voice (one player) * ''Past'' for solo marimba * ''Another Echo'' for any wind or string instrument and piano or vibraphone * ''To All of Those'' for any string or woodwind instrument * ''Vermont Chimes'' for chimes, two glockenspiels, two bass drums, and two triangles * ''Violets'' for solo drum set
==Books== *Smith, Stuart Saunders. ''Twentieth Century Scores''. Prentice-Hall. *Smith, Stuart Saunders, and Thomas DeLio (1989). ''Words and Spaces: An Anthology of Twentieth Century Musical Experiments in Language and Sonic Environments''. University Press of America. {{ISBN|0-8191-7425-4}}. {{ISBN|978-0-8191-7425-3}}.
==Discography== *''Wind in the Channel'', O.O. Disc (Out of Print) **1. Hawk (1991), solo oboe **2. Family Portraits: Brenda (1994), solo piano **3. California Driving (1995), solo voice **4. Return and Recall (1976) **5. Notebook (1980), 2-piano version **6. Wind in the Channel (1994), tenor recorder/voice/percussion **7. Gifts (1974), flute, vibraphone, piano **8. Pinetop (1976–1977), solo piano **9. In Bingham (1985), solo voice **10. Aussie Blue (1985), solo piano *''Music/Theater'', Centaur (CRC 2633) **1. by Language Embellished: I (1983–1984), solo voice/percussion *''The Year Begins to Be Ripe'', 11 West Records/Smith Publications **1. Poems I, II, III (1970), 5 brake drums, narrator **2. In Hours Like These (2005), soprano, orchestra bells **3. Family Portraits: Delbert (1994), percussion/voice **4. Xylophone Poems No. 1: Went Forth (1999), xylophone/voice **5. Thinking About Anne Sexton, vibraphone (2000), narrator *''The Noble Snare'', 11 West Records/Smith Publications **1. The Noble Snare (1988), solo snare drum *''Breath'', 11 West Records/Smith Publications **1. Each Moment An Ending (1993), marimba, xylophone, vibraphone, orchestra bells, chimes **2. Blue Too (1981–1983), solo drumset **3. ...And Points North (1990), percussion/voice **4. Links No. 11 (1994), 3 vibraphones **5. Breath (2001), mezzo-soprano, orchestra bells **6. Polka in Treblinka (1996), xylophone, snare drum, high-hat, bass drum **7. Thaw (1993), orchestra bells **8. Family Portraits: Cubba (1996), trumpet, percussion, flute *''Withered Leaves – New Birth'', Disques Christal (France) **1. Links (1974), vibraphone **2. Links No. 2 (1975), vibraphone **3. Links No. 3 (1975), vibraphone *''In Common'', Equilibrium **1. In Common (1991), flute, vibraphone *''Book of Horizons'', New World Records **1. Fences, In Three Tragedies (1998), solo piano *''When Still'', Soundset Recordings **1. Links No. 2 (1975), vibraphone **2. The Starving Month (2012), vibraphone *''McCormick Percussion Group'', Ravello Records **1. Nightshade (1991), violin, 2 percussion *''Trio Spectra'', GAC (Sweden) **1. Polka in Treblinka (1996), xylophone, snare drum, high-hat, bass drum *''At Sixty (Selections)'', 11 West Records/Smith Publications **CD#1 ***1. Women in Meeting (2005), flute duo ***2. Polka in Treblinka (1996), xylophone, snare drum, high-hat, bass drum ***3. Over (2006), orchestra bells ***4. Wounded (2003), xylophone ***5. Magdalene (2006), soprano sax, 2 percussion ***6. Notebook (1980), any instruments **CD#2 ***1. In Bingham (1985), solo voice ***2. Rose (2006), flute/dancer/actor ***3. Family Portraits: Embden Pond (2003), alto flute, 2 vibraphones ***4. A River, Rose (2005), violin, vibraphone ***5. Hearts (2004), violin ***6. Good Night (1992), marimba/voice *''Books of Flutes'', 11 West Records/Smith Publications **1. Books of Flutes (2000), solo flute **2. Legacy Variations No. 1 (1972), any three melody instruments **3. Legacy Variations No. 99 (1972), any three melody instruments **4. Family Portraits: Embden Pond (2003), alto flute, 2 vibraphones *''Crux'', Chen Li Music **1. Notebook (1980), any instruments **2. Family Portraits: Ivy, Earle, Sylvia (1991), solo piano **3. Here and There (1972), short-wave radio, piano interior, any melody instruments **4. Strays (1995), tenor recorder and xylophone *''Strange Paths'', Innova **1. They Looked Like Strangers (2010), vibraphone *''Music for Keyboard Percussions'', Ravello **1. Apart (2008), 2 orchestra bells, vibraphone *''The Isle is Full of Noises'', Centaur (CRC 3091) **1. Family Portraits: Embden Pond (2003), alto flute, 2 vibraphones *''The Links Series of Vibraphone Essays'', New World Records **The Links Series ***Links-Links 11, vibraphone *''A River Rose'', New World Records **1. Hearts (2004), violin **2. Three for Two (1972), violin and viola **3. A Gift for Bessie (1971), violin, piano, bassoon, percussion **4. Minor (2001), violin **5. A River Rose (2005), violin, vibraphone **6. I've Been Here Before (2009), violin and piano *''Hawk – The Saxophone Music of Stuart Saunders Smith'', Chen Li Music **1. Notebook (1980), any instruments **2. Magdalene (2006), soprano sax and 2 percussion **3. Husbands and Wives (2008), alto sax duet **4. Hawk (2007), soprano sax solo **5. One for Two (1971), alto sax and organ *''Plot: Music for Unspecified Instrumentation'', Ravello Records **1. Bones (2000), for any musicians and piano **2. Winter (2010–2011), any instruments and voices *''Full Circle – NOISE Plays the Music of Stuart Saunders Smith'', Centaur Records **1. Flight (1978), for flute and piano **2. Notebook (1980), any instruments **3. Time Comes Full Circle (2010), for violin and cello **4. Asleep in Thorns (2002), for flute and guitar **5. Women in Meeting (2005), for two flutes *''Pluralities'', Chen Li Music **1. Lazarus, for piano and voice *''Lisa Cella – Shine'', Chen Li Music **4. Light in Each One, for solo flute **5. Shine, for flute and orchestra bells *''New England'', Kairos **1–11. New England, for solo vibraphone *''Palm Sunday'', New World Records **1. Thicket (2010), for solo piano or orchestra bells **2. Pinetop (1977), for solo piano **3. Family Portraits: Self (in 14 Stations) (1997), for solo piano **4. Palm Sunday (2012), for solo piano **5. Among Us (2007), for solo piano *''At Seventy: The Percussion Music of Stuart Saunders Smith'', Chen Li Music **CD#1 ***1. Blue Too (1983), for solo drumset ***2. Brush (2002), for solo drumset ***3. Two Lights (2002), for solo drumset ***4. Family Portraits: Erika (daughter) (2005), for vibraphone and violin ***5. Dad's Time Had Come (2002), for solo xylophone ***6. Far Away (2009), for solo chimes ***7. Good Night (1992), for solo marimba **CD#2 ***1. Queen Anne Lace (2014), for solo vibraphone ***2. The Narrow Path (2008), for orchestra bells, and two vibraphones ***3. Mercy (2017), for large percussion orchestra **CD#3 ***1. Home of the Brave (2009), for spoken voice and junk ***2. Links No. 4 (Monk) (1982), for solo vibraphone ***3. Wait (2009), for solo marimba ***4. Songs I–IX (1981), for spoken voice and junk ***5. Poems I, II, III (1970), for brake drums and spoken voice (Ron Coulter, percussion; Susannah LeBaron, voice) ***6. Quilt (2007), for vibraphone and orchestra bells ***7. One For Syl (1970), for solo vibraphone ***7. Wellspring (2015), for solo orchestra bells **CD#4 ***1. by Language Embellished: I (1983), for solo percussion theater ***2. The Lilies of the Field (2013), for soprano and vibraphone ***3. A Vietnam Memorial (2006), for speaking voice and vibraphone **CD#5 ***1. The Authors (2006), for solo marimba with spoken text ***2. Angels (2007), for percussion trio ***3. Geography of Streams (2000), for percussion trio ***4. Two for Four (1972), for percussion quartet ***5. Rockgarden (1973), for organ and two percussion **CD#6 (Bonus Disc) ''Wind in the Channel'' ***1. Hawk (1991), solo oboe ***2. Family Portraits: Brenda (1994), solo piano ***3. California Driving (1995), solo voice ***4. Return and Recall (1976) ***5. Notebook (1980), 2-piano version ***6. Wind in the Channel (1994), tenor recorder/voice/percussion ***7. Gifts (1974), flute, vibraphone, piano ***8. Pinetop (1976–1977), solo piano ***9. In Bingham (1985), solo voice ***10. Aussie Blue (1985), solo piano
==References== {{Reflist}} '''Sources''' * {{cite book|last=Welsh|first=John P.|year=1995|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qqgr0LthrsUC|title=The Music of Stuart Saunders Smith|series=Contributions to the Study of Music and Dance, ISSN 0193-9041; no. 38|location=Westport, Connecticut|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=0-313-29805-X}}
==External links== *[http://www.newmusiccoop.org/past/whenmusicismissing/sss.php "About Stuart Saunders Smith"], newmusiccoop.org *{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070202065422/http://www.artofthestates.org/cgi-bin/piece.pl?pid=305 ''Breath'' (2001)]}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Classical music}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Stuart Saunders}} Category:1948 births Category:20th-century American classical composers Category:20th-century American male composers Category:American percussionists Category:Musicians from Portland, Maine Category:2024 deaths Category:Musicians from Baltimore Category:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Music alumni Category:University of Maryland, Baltimore County faculty Category:University of Hartford Hartt School alumni Category:American male classical composers Category:Classical musicians from Maine Category:21st-century American classical composers Category:21st-century American male composers