Music and Musicians

Musician Biography

John Smoody

John Smoody has been a part of the CSO Bass section since 1992. One season prior Mr. Smoody held the principal chair of the Huntsville Symphony. A native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Mr. Smoody began playing and studying double bass at the age of ten in the Oshkosh public school string program. He is also proficient on the violin, viola, and cello.

Focusing on music performance during his college education, Mr. Smoody studied with Michael Johnson at the University of Southern Mississippi starting in 1979. He also studied with David Williamson, principal double bassist at the time of the New Orleans Philharmonic. Transferring to University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire in 1982, Mr. Smoody continued his performance major studying with double bass pedagogue, James Clute; recently retired from UW-EC & the Minnesota Orchestra.

Mr. Smoody continued with graduate studies at DePaul University in Chicago in 1988 studying with respected double bassist, Bradley Opland, a member of the Chicago Symphony. He also was a participant in several masterclass and coaching opportunities given by esteemed double bass educator/performers including Gary Karr, Joseph Guastafeste, the late Warren Benfield, Roger Ruggeri, and Jeffery Bradetich. A major achievement for Mr. Smoody was being accepted into the renowned Civic Orchestra of Chicago known as 'the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony.' He advanced to the principal double bass chair of the Civic in 1989 holding the position for two seasons. During his Civic tenure Mr. Smoody worked under the celebrated batons of the late Sir Georg Solti, Daniel Barenboim, Leonard Slatkin, Herbert Blomstedt, Catherine Comet, and the late Margaret Hillis. Mr. Smoody performed with a wide array of professional ensembles within the four state radius of Chicago.

In addition to leading the CSO double bass section, Mr. Smoody performs educational and outreach programs as a member of the CSO's string quintet. He also began the post of CSO’s orchestra librarian in 2002.

Mr. Smoody teaches privately in the Chattanooga region. He still performs with the Huntsville Symphony and plays extra with Alabama Symphony on occasion. During his summer months, John has been on faculty for the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of Huntsville summer camp in June. In late summer he ventures north to Marquette, Michigan to perform with the Superior String Alliance during their orchestra festival week. He has been the principal double bass with the SSA’s festival orchestra since 1994. Due to his enthusiasm for chamber music, John was appointed in 1998 artistic director and coordinator of the SSA’s chamber music activities. He promptly named the participants the Lake Superior Chamber Players. During the summer of 2005, the Lake Superior Chamber Players gave the Michigan and UP premiere in two performances of a recent reconstruction of Jean Sibelius’ En Saga septet, Op. 9. Dr. Gregory Barrett, clarinet professor of University of Northern Illinois, created the reconstruction.

Also in August of 2005, Mr. Smoody was invited to be the principal double bassist of the Finn Grand Fest gala orchestra. Finn Grand Fest is an annual heritage week where people in the United State and Canada come together to celebrate their Finnish heritage. The gala orchestra concert featured the world premiere of a new double bass concerto by Finnish composer, Jukka Linkola. The featured soloist was Evan Premo. Evan is a fast up and coming double bass soloist of great skill from the UP of MI. Mr. Smoody coached and mentored several summers Evan during his participation in SSA’s intern program.

Mr. Smoody's double bass is an instrument made by the German luthier Joseph Rubner. It was recently restored by Chicago master luthier, Scott Henrie.