Thales Smith began studying the classical guitar at age 7 with Dr. Matthew Hinsley, Executive Director of the Austin Classical Guitar Society. Thales has had masterclasses with over twenty classical guitarists including David Russell, Paul Galbraith, Eliot Fisk, William Kanengiser, Marcin Dylla, and Kazuhito Yamashita. In 2009, he had one week of intensive study with the Peruvian virtuoso Jorge Caballero. Thales currently studies at the University of Texas at Austin pursuing a degree in classical guitar performance under the tutelage of Adam Holzman and a degree in Plan II Honors, a multidisciplinary liberal arts program.

Thales took first prize at the Guitar Foundation of America’s International Youth Competition in 2006 and the American String Teachers Association’s National Solo Competition Junior Guitar Division in 2009. In 2008 he was named a Texas Young Master by the Texas Commission on the Arts and Texas Cultural Trust and was consequently awarded a three-summer scholarship to further his study of the classical guitar. That same year, guitarist and composer Mark Anthony Cruz dedicated to Thales his piece Triptych No. 2.

As a seasoned performer, Thales has brought his playing to wide ranging audiences throughout central Texas. He has appeared regularly on the Central Presbyterian Church Noonday Concert Series and has extensively performed outreach concerts in Austin schools and community centers. In addition to numerous media appearances on television and radio, Thales has twice appeared on KMFA’s Classical Austin show and in 2007 was featured on NPR’s From the Top, broadcast nationwide from a performance in Bethesda Maryland’s Music Center at Strathmore. In 2010, Thales was featured as a New Young Artist at the Victoria Bach Festival for which he performed a feature concert and six outreach concerts in the Victoria community.

Thales enjoys collaboration on all levels and has worked with dancers, singers, and other instrumentalists. He is working on expanding the repertoire and performance of classical guitar music by transcribing music from classical repertoire and folk traditions to the classical guitar and exploring new venues for classical guitar performance.

To contact Thales, please send him an email at t@thalessmith.com.