Performing arts writer, Howard Smith, a profile.

A profile of features writer, journalist, editor, adjudicator
and researcher; Howard Smith.

"As a music critic Smith is definitely one of the best in the world"
(Prof. A. Ivashkin).

•

Photo Howard Smith.

CD sleeve notes, critical writing, travel writing and programme notes.

'Lord of the Rings' overall producer, Barrie M.Osborne
(left) in conversation with Howard Smith

Howard Smith is a British features journalist, adjudicator, editor and photographer. He is internationally recognised as an authoritative music and travel writer.

For some years he was a senior interviewer/writer, TV and arts critic with the then Dominion /Sunday Times in Wellington, New Zealand. Later Howard Smith became the sole leader writer for the China Mail in Hong Kong.

From the mid 70s to 1987 he worked for Thomson Regional Newspapers (TRN) in North East England, writing extensively on arts, travel, and news background topics. Subsequently, from his base in Minneapolis, MN, he provided copy for a variety of outlets throughout the American mid-west.

From the mid 1990s he worked for APN, New Zealand while occasionally supplying stories for the major dailies in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. At the same time he supplied notes for the NZ International Festival of the Arts and articles for The Listener, North & South, the Sunday Star-Times and major dailies in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Since the dawn of the 3^rd Millennium he has been on assignments in Hatsukaichi, Japan; Almaty, Kazakhstan; Noumea, New Caledonia; Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Pacific Russia; and Uralsk, Kazakhstan.

In the last decade Howard Smith has been NZ agent for Khazak-born virtuoso violinist, Marat Bisengaliev and top Serbian pianist Sonja Radojkovic. In addition he is a regular contributor to the acclaimed Music & Vision website in London.

Each week he fronts a successful programme on Arrow FM Radio while periodically he’s guest lecturer in specialist journalism at Whitireia Polytechnic, just outside New Zealand’s capital, Wellington. Howard currently works from Wellington province, New Zealand.

Agent-manager for virtuoso Serbian pianist, Sonja Radojkovic – prospective New Zealand tour – 2007 – dates to be finalised.

Co-manager for violinist Marat Bisengaliev, 4 concerts with Wellington Vector Orchestra and conductor James Sedares; recitals North & South islands with pianist Emma Sayers – September 2006.

New Zealand Tour manager / Violinist Marat Bisengaliev, 3 concerts with Wellington Sinfonia – three recitals with pianist Rachel Thomson – September 2004.

Second Uralsk International Violin Competition – Uralsk : North-west Kazakhstan, January 2004.

Agent-Manager – Serbian virtuoso pianist, Sonja Radojkovic – Ist New Zealand Tour; Spring 2003.

Pacific Rim Music Festival – Moscow, Finnish, Korean and Australian musicians in East Russia’s first ‘Messiah’ with Lygia O’Riordan : Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, September 2003.

New Zealand agent/tour manager / Violinist Marat Bisengaliev, 4 recitals with pianist Katherine Austin, April 1998.

Howard Smith In Kazakhstan with Marat Bisengaliev & the RPO - May 2002.
Wool Grower (Wgtn, NZ) - Exotic Animal Diseases - is New Zealand prepared ? - Winter - 2002
Strings (Calif., USA) - Bartok's troubled Viola Concerto - latest developments - May/June -2002
Nouvelle Caledonié, Sud & Aircalin - Media Tour - March - 2002
Strad (London, UK) - 1st Michael Hill World Violin Competition - 2001
Bartok & Zoltan Szekely / Press (Chch), Dominion (Wgtn) - 2001
Strad (London, UK) - 29th International Viola Congress - 2001
Philharmonia Orchestra (Ashkenazy) - Commentaries (Aklnd) - 2000
Strad (London, UK) - 3rd International Cello Contest/Festival -1999
Notes / commentaries - Naxos Chamber Music Festival - June - 1999
Notes / commentaries - Aotea Centre concerts - June - 1999
Represents Masterton District Council (Japan) April - 1999
Winner : Globus-Cosmos World Photo Contest (USA) - 1998

Markets he has written for include:

MUSIC PRESS, RECORD COMPANIES, CONCERT PRODUCTIONS, FESTIVALS, ORCHESTRAS, SOCIETIES

STRAD (London), New Zealand International Festival of the Arts, 1996/98 (Wellington, NZ), DECCA RECORDS (UK), Opera North (Leeds, UK), STRINGS (California, USA), The Turnovsky Trio (New Zealand), GRAMOPHONE (London), EMI RECORDS (London), The Minnesota Orchestra (USA), CD Review (London), Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, MN (USA), The NZSO (Wellington), Hamilton Chamber Music Society (Waikato, NZ), Aotea Centre (Auckland), HYPERION RECORDS(London), Opera Now (London).

AIRLINES AND TRAVEL PRESS

Qantas (Sydney), University of Leeds (UK), Pacific Wave (Air NZ, Auckland), The University of Minnesota (USA), Tradewinds Tours (Manchester), Relax Travel magazine (Chicago, Illinois), British Caledonian Airlines (UK), Amoco Road Magazine (New York, USA), American Transair (Indianapolis), Airtours Holiday Travel (London), Singapore Airlines (Singapore).

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

National Public Radio (USA), Aerial Radio (USA), The NZ Herald (Auckland, NZ), Christchurch Press (NZ),Radio New Zealand (Drama/Auckland), The China Mail (Hong Kong), Hitz 89 FM Masterton, The Dominion (Wellington, NZ), Waikato Times (Hamilton, NZ), THE INDEPENDENT (London), Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MN, USA), Sunday Star-Times (Auckland, NZ), THOMSON PAPERS (UK), Evening Post (Wellington, NZ),The NZ Herald (Auckland, NZ), Wairarapa Times-Age (NZ), Jewish Chronicle (Minnesota, USA), SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST (Hong Kong).

COMMERCE, INDUSTRY & GOVERNMENT

Management (Auckland), Masterton Business Enterprises, (New Zealand), The ANZ Bank (NZ), Department of Community Corrections (NZ), Dairy Herd Management (Wisconsin, USA), Unisys (UK), Rail Magazine (NZ), Kings 1Vth Generation Ltd. (Wairarapa), Summerset Management Group (Waikanae, NZ), Radio Network (Levin, NZ), Arable News (Methven, NZ), Chifney Wines (Martinborough, NZ), Morrison & Co.Trust (Wellington, NZ).