Little Matthew Smith will embark upon a historic journey early next month as he will lead a 75-piece orchestra. The feat will make Smith the youngest conductor to ever lead an orchestra of that size, besting a previous record held by a 14-year-old Venezuelan youth orchestra conductor.
Smith, who resides in Nottingham in the United Kingdom, was inspired to lead the Nottingham Symphony in a rendition of Johann Strauss’ operetta, “Die Fledermaus,” after seeing a seven-year-old boy lead a smaller orchestra. In an interview with a series of London-based publications, Smith admitted to having a case of the nerves but has been practicing for weeks.
As a Grade 5 violinist, Smith definitely has the musical chops. However, he told local publication Sky News that if he doesn’t make it in music, he would go into science or engineering. His mother, Beverlyn Riley, is also nervous about the performance but is confident her boy will succeed.
Smith already has the admiration of his teachers and mentors who are expecting big things from the prodigy.
The concert takes place April 2 at the Nottingham Royal Concert Hall.
PHOTO: Sky News screenshot
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Little Known Black History Fact: Matthew Smith was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
