Lauren Smee
Artistic Director
Group Violin
Musicianship
Parent Orientation
Private Violin
Equally dedicated to both performing and pedagogy, violinist Lauren Smee has a love of playing that fuels her teaching and a love of teaching that informs her performance. As a member of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra Lauren has enjoyed the opportunity to work with visiting and local artists including Andre LaPlante, Jonathan Crow, Mark Fewer, and Jody Richardson.
She has performed with the symphony as a part of the Opera on the Avalon and Festival 500 and has nurtured her love of chamber music through performances with the Casalmaggiore International Festival in Italy and the Tuckamore Festival in St. John’s. As a singer she enjoys performing with the Quintessential Vocal Ensemble.
​
Whether on stage or in the studio Lauren is passionate about cultivating physical and musical freedom and preventing playing-related injury. As an Andover Educator she educates musicians on how accurate information about the body in movement can enhance both music pedagogy and musical ability. As a teacher Lauren enjoys working with students of all ages and levels with the Suzuki Talent Education Program of St. John’s, where she served as Artistic Director from 2014 – 2016. She has been on faculty at the Atlantic Canada Suzuki Institute and Toronto Suzuki Studio Summer Camps, and has been a music teacher at Canada’s National Ballet School. In 2017-2018 Lauren was the Project Coordinator of Memorial University’s Chamber Music for Youth program.
​
Lauren holds degrees from Wilfrid Laurier University (Honours Bachelor of Music) and Memorial University of Newfoundland (Master of Music in Violin Performance/Pedagogy) and is grateful to her principal teachers, Dr. Nancy Dahn, Jennifer Johnson, Jerzy Kaplanek, and May Ing for their immense contributions to her artistic development. When she’s not playing music Lauren can usually be found hiking or reading a good book.