Lawrence Leighton-Smith

Lawrence Leighton Smith (1936–2013) was an American conductor and pianist. He received bachelor's degrees from the Portland State University (1956) and The Mannes College of Music (1959), where Lawrence studied piano with Leonard Shure. Five years after the graduation, Leighton-Smith won the first prize at the Mitropoulos International Conducting Competition. From 1985 to 1993, he worked as the music director of the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara. Smith earned a doctorate from the University of Louisville in 1992. As a pianist, Leighton-Smith accompanied many prominent musicians and singers, including Franco Corelli, Sherrill Milnes, Zara Nelsova, Ruggiero Ricci, Jennie Tourel, Renata Tebaldi, Walter Trampler, and Pinchas Zukerman. He also recorded Ferruccio Busoni's complete works for two pianos with Daniell Revenaugh. In 1986, Smith became the first American conductor to lead Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. Throughout his career, Leighton-Smith had guest appearances with nearly every major orchestra in the United States, and served as a music director for many prominent ensembles, including: • The Metropolitan Opera (1964–67) – assistant conductor • Westchester Symphony Orchestra (1967–69) • The Phoenix Symphony (1970–73) – principal guest conductor • Oregon Symphony Orchestra (1973–80) • San Antonio Symphony Orchestra (1980–85) • North Carolina Symphony (1980–81) – artistic advisor and pgc • The Louisville Orchestra (1983–94) • New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (1997–2000) – pgc