The highly acclaimed British born classical guitarist Alison Smith has been described as one of the most exciting and lyrical guitarists to emerge in recent years. She delights audiences with her fluid technique and expressive playing, performing nationwide and in Europe. Her previous CDs, entitled Recuerdos and Incandescent, have been highly successful. She has recently been engaged by Willowhayne Records to become one of their artists and Poético is her first CD under their label.
In 1995 Alison graduated with honours from Trinity College of Music, London (Trinity Laban). She was awarded the Grace Wylie Thesis Prize, a college scholarship and a scholarship from the Mary Datchelor Trust to enable her to pursue her Post-Graduate studies. She studied guitar with Gilbert Biberian and Nicola Hall, and Piano with Raymond Banning. In July 1997 she was awarded a Distinction in the Post-Graduate Performance Certificate. Alison taught guitar and coached chamber music at the The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) from 2002–2008 and lectured on Techniques of Teaching for the BMus course. She has given performances and talks as a guest artist at Plymouth University and is now the University's appointed Classical Guitar tutor for the BA Hons. music course.
Alison has been supported in her playing career with awards from The Tillet Trust and Oppenheim John-Downes Memorial Trust. Engagements include the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, The Norfolk Symphony Orchestra’s Thirty Year Anniversary Celebration, St Martin-in-the-Fields, St James’ Piccadilly, The Bolivar Hall, The Michael Tippett Centre, Queens Theatre, Barnstaple, Dartington, Exeter Cathedral, Edward King House at Lincoln Cathedral, The University of Dundee, Chateau le Risdoux in the Ardennes, St Martin Kirche, Nortorf, Germany, Kedleston Hall and Saltram House for The National Trust and Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery International Concert Series. She has broadcast on national Radio including BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio Scotland. Alison has performed at numerous classical guitar festivals including the Prussia Cove Guitar Seminar, The Garcia Biberian International Summer School, the Exeter Guitar Summer School, The Ards International Guitar Festival, Belfast and was guest soloist at The West Lothian Guitarfest. Alison has played at eight International Guitar Festivals of Great Britain where she received great critical acclaim. She is Director of the Cawsand Bay Guitarfest 2019, a new exciting classical guitar weekend with Alison Smith, Craig Ogden, and the Eden Stell Guitar Duo.