Oxford Contemporary Music BOOM Artist in Residence 2018
Emma Smith studied double bass at the Royal College of Music where she was trained in classical double bass technique and repertoire. Building on the language of classical music, and exploring the story-telling aspect of folk music from different parts of the world, Emma has forged a career as a versatile composer, improviser and collaborator. An advocate for gender balance in the arts, and with support from Serious/Cryptic, she produces the multi-genre series Bitches Brew, which showcases the best of female instrumental improvising talent and celebrates the increasingly diverse listening habits of people around the world. Emma works for Musicians without Borders using music in post-conflict areas to 'bridge divides, connect communities, and heal the wounds of war', and with OCM she is exploring the effect of extreme environments on our perception of time and identity, and how this is expressed through music.