Stuart Saunders Smith was born in Portland Maine, and began his percussion and composition studies at the age of six with Charles Newcomb. He studied harmony, counterpoint, and arranging at the Berklee School of Music in 1966, and continued his percussion and composition studies at the Hartt College of Music (1967–1972) and the University of Illinois at Urbana (1973–1977). He currently resides in the state of Vermont with his wife Sylvia.
Over a hundred of Smith's nearly 200 works are for percussion instruments with a special emphasis on vibraphone literature. His Links Series of Vibraphone Essays (1974-1994) is considered as groundbreaking music (Welsh). Also Plenty (I-XXXIV) and New England are concert length compositions for vibraphone that extend the intellectual and emotional range of that instrument (Smith). Smith also has composed extensively for drumset, orchestra bells, xylophone, marimba, chimes, and multi-percussion.
Stuart Saunders Smith's percussion-theater music forms the core of that literature with such pieces as Poems I II III, ...And Points North, Tunnels, Clay Singing and twenty-six compositions of that genre (Smith).
Stuart Saunders Smith is widely recorded with well over 80 recordings of individual compositions on such labels as New World Records, Ravello Records, Centaur, Innova, 11 West Records, O.O. Discs, Equilibrium, GAC, and Soundset Recordings.
In addition, anthologies of new music have included his theater music, and music of rhythmic intricacy: Here and There, MacMillan Publishing, NYC; Return and Recall, Assembling Press, NYC; Faces, ASUC, NYC; and Transitions and Leaps, Mark Batty Publications, NYC. 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.
Smith is the author of several articles on his music and others. These fifteen writings are used in some percussion literature courses as required readings. He is the author of two books: Pathways through Twentieth Century Music, an anthology, Prentice-Hall, co-edited with Dr. Thomas DeLio; Words and Spaces, an anthology, University Publishing, co-authored with Dr. 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).
Stuart Saunders 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 1982–1984.
Recent concerts included a three-day festival of his percussion-theater music at the University of Maine in the Fall of 2013 and a three-day festival of his vibraphone music by Berndt Thurner in Vienna, Austria in 2014.
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.
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
Two Makes Three 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
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)
Said, Nearly for solo cello
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
The Xylophone Poems for xylophone/speaking voice
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 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
Further Than Now for clarinet and piano
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
Still Slowly for xylophone and piano
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 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
Winter Taps vibraphone duet with spoken text
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
Lace orchestra bell (glockenspiel) duet with 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 marimba
Seven Seasons for contralto voice and vibraphone
Angels for percussion trio, three triangles each
(as the days get shorter) for solo bass clarinet
2008
Mornings for solo vibraphone
Apart for 2 orchestra bells and vibraphone
2009
The Home of the Brave for percussionist/actor performing on a 2X4, 3 bottles, and 5 metal objects
The God Songs for orchestra bells/actor
To Freshen the Moment for cello and vibraphone
Far Away for solo chimes
The Untold Range for 1-5 percussionists and sounds from nature
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
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
My Friend Gita Said: for marimba/voice
Lyric for percussion theater
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
When We Were Giants for guitar
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
Alone in a Room for solo orchestra bells and percussion quartet (triangles)
2017
Honesty for flute and vibraphone
Emily for jazz/electric guitar and piano
Mercy for large percussion orchestra
Dignity for soprano voice, vibraphone, and actor
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.
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
Return and Recall (1976)
4. Notebook (1980), 2-piano version
5. Wind in the Channel (1994), tenor recorder/voice/percussion
6. Gifts (1974), flute, vibraphone, piano
7. Pinetop (1976-1977), solo piano
8. In Bingham (1985), solo voice
9. 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
