Bruce Smith Plays Theatre Hill!

Music has always played a major part in Bruce Smith’s life. After starting piano lessons at the age of six, he added voice lessons, before finally settling on classical guitar. The covid pandemic proved to be the ideal time to delve into this new field in a focused way, a process which led to his being awarded two gold medals from the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto for top marks in his grade in the province.

Now a third-year student at Memorial University of Newfoundland School of Music, Bruce is majoring in comprehensive music education. He studies classical guitar under Dr. Tracy Anne Smith. Prior instructors include Sylvie Proulx, Robert Colbourne, and Aubrey and Peter Noftall.

Bruce has been the winner of a number of scholarships, including the Fry Family Foundation Scholarship, the MUN School of Music Dean’s Scholarship 2022/2023, the Margaret Neal Memorial Scholarship for a Developing Artist presented by Kiwanis Music Festival Association, the David McCurdy Memorial Bursary 2023/2024, and the Mrs H.B Young Memorial Scholarship: 2023/2024.

A frequent competitor, Bruce was awarded the Junior Instrumental Rose Bowl Runner-Up Award at the St. John's Kiwanis Music Festival in April 2022 and in the 2022 Provincial Festival. He repeated this feat in the Carbonear Kiwanis Music Festival, winning Senior Instrumental Rose Bowl Runner-Up in 2023. He also did several RCMT exams during this time including guitar, piano, theory and voice, winning First Class Honours, and First Class Honours with Distinction across the board, completing guitar levels one through nine in three short years.

Throughout high school, Bruce participated in a Traditional Ensemble Group at Ascension Collegiate High School and he continues to play for community, church, and fundraising events. Bruce is the co-founder of Refuge, a youth band in St. Matthews Anglican Church Bay Roberts. He is a versatile musician playing guitar, piano, drums, and also providing backup vocals. He also has prior experience in teaching guitar and percussion.

A musician who cares deeply about community, Bruce has dedicated his artistry to fundraisers for the Home Again Furniture Bank, a Benefit Concert for the Guatemala Mission, and a Fundraiser for Parkinson’s Disease.