Gregory Smith

Photo by Suzie Katayama

The music of composer Gregory Smith covers a wide range of the musical world and has been referred to as “engaging, emotional and theatrical”. His music entertains thousands every day and night at Disney theme parks while reaching millions on television networks throughout the world. Smith’s symphonic family/educational concert works are among the most performed in the genre.

The family/educational concert works of Gregory Smith have received over 700 performances by more than 160 orchestras, often with Smith narrating. Orchestras such as the Atlanta, Baltimore, Bonn, Boston, Cincinnati, Minnesota, and Toronto orchestras and the Rochester and Hong Kong philharmonics have embraced Mr. Smith’s unique approach to family/educational concerts. More recently these works have found an international audience with numerous performances in the United Kingdom, China, South Korea, Germany, and New Zealand. His latest work, The Melodic Life, was written for and premiered by Baltimore Symphony music director Marin Alsop at the Cabrillo Music Festival in August 2006. The collaborations of Alsop and Smith span more than two decades and have resulted in many memorable premieres and performances.

Smith enjoys a long association with the Walt Disney Company and has served as Composer and Arranger for numerous productions at the five worldwide theme parks. He composed and conducted the music for the highly acclaimed nighttime spectacular, Wishes, at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Smith also composed and arranged the music for Disneyland’s Thea award-winning, 50th anniversary celebration, Remember, Dreams Come True. In addition, his music accompanies the fireworks displays at Disneyland Resort Paris and the recently opened Hong Kong Disneyland. Smith’s original Disney songs have been performed and recorded by artists including Eden Espinosa, Peabo Bryson, Kimberley Locke, Jennifer Holliday and Jody Benson. Most recently, Smith composed and arranged the music for the Disneyland summer fireworks spectacular, Magical. He also arranged and programmed the music for the newly opened Disney’s Electrical Parade at California Adventure.

Smith’s ESPN/ABC college football theme is entering its 15th season of usage. Smith recently composed the frequently aired CBS television logo. Also for CBS, he conducted and produced the re-recording of the original Star Trek theme for the show’s remastered, 40th anniversary release. Additional television and film credits range from composing themes for MSNBC, The Discovery Channel, TNT, Headline News, scoring and orchestration for the various Star Trek TV dramas, orchestration for The Mighty Ducks (II and III), Con Air and Now and Then, to arranging and conducting the songs for the Disney animated features Pooh's Grand Adventure and Pochontas II, to composing and orchestrating animation music for Warner Bros. cartoons. Smith’s commercial credits include composing music for Kodak, Mattel, American Red Cross, Kraft, Disney, KFC, American Express and numerous others.

In 2002 Smith was honored to compose the music for the Salt Lake City Paralympics. The score, performed by a large symphony orchestra and chorus, featured the centerpiece song, Inspire the Spirit, written with lyricist Sarah Weeks and sung by Donny Osmond. The Emmy Award winning event aired around the world on ABC.

As a conductor, Smith has recorded with orchestras in London, San Francisco and Seattle as well as numerous studio orchestras in New York and Los Angeles.