Comfort Smith is a violinist and teacher from Newberg, Oregon. Her study of music began when she started taking piano lessons at five years old. At age twelve, she transferred to violin as her primary instrument, but she continues to play piano to accompany her violin students. Comfort holds a B.A. in Music Performance and English from George Fox University and an M.M. in Suzuki Pedagogy and String Performance from Ithaca College where she studied pedagogy with Carrie Reuning-Hummel. During her undergraduate studies, she won the George Fox Concerto Aria Competition in 2018 and again in 2020. While in school, she served as concertmaster and principal second violinist in both the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra and the George Fox Symphony Orchestra, and also substituted with several professional ensembles. Currently she is a member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in Washington. Comfort has had the privilege of studying violin with Ellen Jewett, Susan Waterbury, Rebekah Hanson, Emma Tepfer, and Sharon Neufeld, each of whom have inspired her to pass on the joy of music through teaching.

 

Comfort has published original works for a variety of instruments, many of which she has performed and recorded. Her compositions are influenced by her love of classical music, fiddle, and jazz. In her spare time, she enjoys crocheting and going on hikes. Comfort loves teaching, and she believes every child can learn to play an instrument.

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View Comfort's profile on the SAA website here.

View original works and arrangements by Comfort on Sheet Music Plus here.