Morning Concert:
An Interview with Leo Smit

After playing “In Woods” by American composer and pianist Leo Smit, Charles Amirkhanian then interviews the composer about his career, and his relationship with other composers of the first half of the 20th century, including Igor Stravinsky with whom he worked with in preparing the world premier of Stravinsky’s ballet “Jeu de Carte”. Smit also was good friends with Aaron Copland and recorded that composer’s complete piano works. In addition to performing and composing, Smith was a professor of music at Sarah Lawrence College from 1947 to 1949, UCLA from 1957 to 1963, and then at the State University of New York in Buffalo. Smit died in 1999.