The highly acclaimed British born classical guitarist Alison Smith has been described as one of the most exciting and lyrical guitarists to emerge in recent years. She delights audiences with her fluid technique and expressive playing, performing nationwide and in Europe at concert halls, festivals and has broadcast on national radio including BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio Scotland. Alison has played eight times at the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain, where her performance was described as “enthralling.....demonstrated sheer virtuosity....superb technique and sensitivity”. After a concert in Germany, “the audience broke into tumultuous applause and gave another standing ovation to the young guitarist who had played her way into their hearts” Nortorfer Zeitung Germany, (Trans Fiona Bubbers). Alison recently gave the World Premiere of Rame Head, a stunning new work written for her by the celebrated guitarist and composer William Lovelady, inspired by the beautiful headland on the Rame Peninsula and the sea.

Her CD Albums titled Recuerdos and Incandescent have been highly successful. She has recently been taken on by Willowhayne Records, to become one of their artists and has recorded a new album titled Poético, under their label, which was released last spring. Alison's CDs are distributed physically and digitally worldwide. CDs can be bought or downloaded from www.willowhaynerecords.com

In 1995 Alison graduated with honours from Trinity College of Music, London. She was awarded the Grace Wylie Thesis Prize, a college scholarship and a scholarship from the Mary Datchelor Trust to enable her to pursue her Post-Graduate studies. She studied the Guitar with Gilbert Biberian and Nicola Hall and Piano with Raymond Banning. During her time at college Alison also performed on the violin. In July 1997 she was awarded a Distinction in the Post-Graduate Performance Certificate.

Alison taught guitar and coached chamber music at the The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) from 2002 – 2008 and lectured on Techniques of Teaching for the B Mus Course and has been a tutor at The Big Guitar Weekend at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Alison has given performances and talks as guest artist at Plymouth University and is currently the appointed University Classical Guitar tutor for the BA Hons music course. She is Director of the Cawsand Bay Guitarfest, an exciting classical guitar weekend with Alison Smith, Craig Ogden and the Eden Stell Guitar Duo. www.cawsandbayguitarfest.co.uk

The highly acclaimed British born classical guitarist Alison Smith has been described as one of the most exciting and lyrical guitarists to emerge in recent years. She delights audiences with her fluid technique and expressive playing, performing nationwide and in Europe at concert halls, festivals and broadcasts live on BBC Radio. Alison recently gave the World Premiere of Rame Head, a stunning new work written for her by the celebrated guitarist and composer William Lovelady, inspired by the beautiful headland on the Rame Peninsula and the sea. Her previous CD Albums titled Recuerdos and Incandescent have been highly successful. She has recently been engaged by Willowhayne Records to become one of their artists and has recorded a new album titled Poético under their label, which was released last spring. Alison's CDs are distributed physically and digitally worldwide. CDs can be bought or downloaded from, www.willowhaynerecords.com

In 1995 Alison graduated with honours from Trinity College of Music, London (Trinity Laban). She was awarded the Grace Wylie Thesis Prize, a college scholarship and a scholarship from the Mary Datchelor Trust to enable her to pursue her Post-Graduate studies. She studied the Guitar with Gilbert Biberian and Nicola Hall and Piano with Raymond Banning. In July 1997 she was awarded a Distinction in the Post-Graduate Performance Certificate.

Alison taught guitar and coached chamber music at the The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) from 2002 – 2008 and lectured on Techniques of Teaching for the B Mus Course. She has given performances and talks as a guest artist at Plymouth University and is now the University's appointed Classical Guitar tutor for the BA Hons music course.

Alison has been supported in her playing career with awards from The Tillet Trust and Oppenheim John-Downes Memorial Trust. Engagements include the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, The Norfolk Symphony Orchestra’s Thirty Year Anniversary Celebration, St Martin in the Fields, St James’ Piccadilly, The Bolivar Hall, The Michael Tippett Centre, Queens Theatre, Barnstaple, Dartington, Exeter Cathedral, Edward King House at Lincoln Cathedral, The University of Dundee, Chateau le Risdoux in the Ardennes, St Martin Kirche, Nortorf, Germany, Kedleston Hall and Saltram House for The National Trust and Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery International Concert Series. She has broadcast on national Radio including BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio Scotland.

Alison has performed at numerous classical guitar festivals including the Prussia Cove International Guitar Seminar, The Garcia Biberian International Summer School, the Exeter Guitar Summer School, The Ards International Guitar Festival, Belfast and was guest soloist at The West Lothian Guitarfest. Alison has played at eight International Guitar Festivals of Great Britain where she received great critical acclaim. She is Director of the Cawsand Bay Guitarfest, an exciting classical guitar weekend with Alison Smith, Craig Ogden and the Eden Stell Guitar Duo. www.cawsandbayguitarfest.co.uk

The highly acclaimed British born classical guitarist Alison Smith has been described as one of the most exciting and lyrical guitarists to emerge in recent years. She delights audiences with her fluid technique and expressive playing, performing nationwide and in Europe at concert halls, festivals and broadcasts live on BBC Radio. Her previous CD Albums titled Recuerdos and Incandescent have been highly successful. She has recently been engaged by Willowhayne Records to become one of their artists and has recorded a new album titled Poético under their label, which was released last spring. Alison's CDs are distributed physically and digitally worldwide. CDs can be bought or downloaded from, www.willowhaynerecords.com

In 1995 Alison graduated with honours from Trinity College of Music, London (Trinity Laban). She was awarded the Grace Wylie Thesis Prize, a college scholarship and a scholarship from the Mary Datchelor Trust to enable her to pursue her Post-Graduate studies. She studied the Guitar with Gilbert Biberian and Nicola Hall and Piano with Raymond Banning. In July 1997 she was awarded a Distinction in the Post-Graduate Performance Certificate.

Alison taught guitar and coached chamber music at the The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) from 2002 – 2008 and lectured on Techniques of Teaching for the B Mus Course. She has given performances and talks as a guest artist at Plymouth University and is now the University's appointed Classical Guitar tutor for the BA Hons music course.

Alison has been supported in her playing career with awards from The Tillet Trust and Oppenheim John-Downes Memorial Trust. Engagements include the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, The Norfolk Symphony Orchestra’s Thirty Year Anniversary Celebration, St Martin in the Fields, St James’ Piccadilly, The Bolivar Hall, The Michael Tippett Centre, Queens Theatre, Barnstaple, Dartington, Exeter Cathedral, Edward King House at Lincoln Cathedral, The University of Dundee, Chateau le Risdoux in the Ardennes, St Martin Kirche, Nortorf, Germany, Kedleston Hall and Saltram House for The National Trust and Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery International Concert Series. She has broadcast on national Radio including BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio Scotland.

Alison has performed at numerous classical guitar festivals including the Prussia Cove International Guitar Seminar, The Garcia Biberian International Summer School, the Exeter Guitar Summer School, The Ards International Guitar Festival, Belfast and was guest soloist at The West Lothian Guitarfest. Alison has played at eight International Guitar Festivals of Great Britain where she received great critical acclaim. She is Director of the Cawsand Bay Guitarfest, an exciting classical guitar weekend with Alison Smith, Craig Ogden and the Eden Stell Guitar Duo. www.cawsandbayguitarfest.co.uk.

Alison performs a number of new and original works. To date this includes the World Premiere of Rame Head,a stunning new work written for her by the celebrated guitarist and composer William Lovelady, inspired by the beautiful headland on the Rame Peninsula and the sea, the world Premiere, as dedicatee of The peace of God by the American composer Glen Morgan and Autumn Embers by Philip Buttall, the British Premiere of Roberto Sierra’s Primera Cronica del Descubrimiento and Luis Morales Giacoman’s Nueva York,Sepultada por la Iluvia and Enterraste mis Besos.

Alison has returned to live in Devon. As well as recitals, she is available to give workshops, master classes and private lessons. She has an excellent rapport with people of all ages. Alison has been involved in outreach work whilst teaching at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, including giving workshops and advising on teaching the guitar on the Isle of Lewis. She has directed a workshop as part of Guitarfest at the University of Strathclyde and was a tutor at The Big Guitar Weekend at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland 2007 and 2008. She directed with Steve Gordon a Guitar Ensemble Weekend in Exeter in 2009. She is also a teacher of the colourstring method and has been an advisor and examiner for colourstring centres in London and Dublin.