Devony Smith is a versatile soprano excelling in both contemporary and traditional repertoire with her “sensuous” and “strong” voice (New York Times). A California native, Devony makes her mark on New York City as a professional member of Musica Viva NY, where she recently performed Ernest Chausson's “Chanson Perpétuelle” with the Aeolus Quartet, as well as the soprano solos for Vivaldi’s Gloria, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, and Carmina Burana. In 2016, Devony made her Lincoln Center recital debut as the Grand Prize Winner of the MIMF Art Song competition. Devony was a 2018 finalist in the Lyndon-Woodside Oratorio-Solo at Carnegie Hall, and was a recipient of the Lyndon-Woodside Award. This year, she participated in the prestigious Song Continues Workshop at Carnegie Hall with Marilyn Horne, Renée Fleming, and Graham Johnson. As an artist in residence with Fresh Squeezed Opera, she performed Kate Soper’s self-accompanied opera Here Be Sirens at National Sawdust in January of 2018.
Devony particularly relishes the opportunity to perform new works. As a 2017 fellow at Ravinia Steans Music Institute, she collaborated with composer William Bolcom in a concert of his art songs and cabaret music. As a Marc and Eva Stern Fellow at Songfest in 2013, she performed the world premiere of Ben Moore’s John and Abigail and the west coast premiere of John Musto's Six Scottish Songs. While earning her M.M. in Dawn Upshaw’s Graduate Vocal Arts Program at Bard College, she created the lead role in Shawn Jaeger’s opera, Payne Hollow, collaborated on concerts of contemporary music with Pulitzer Prize winning composer Joan Tower, and performed the world premiere of Daniela DeMatos’ “Encounter,” to high praise from both the New York Times and the Boston Classical Review. Smith received her B.A. from Pepperdine University, where she performed Meg in Adamo’s Little Women.
Most recently on the operatic stage, Devony performed Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) with Bronx Opera and OperaRox Productions, Cendrillon with Utopia Opera, and Vicky with Fresh Squeezed Opera in the East Coast Premiere of Bruce Trinkley’s Baby Shower. Patrick Dillon of OperaNews praised her Susanna, describing it as “utterly alive and natural, and beautifully sung.” Devony's theatrical experiences have been a rich compliment to her classical training. At Smother’s Theater in Malibu, she appeared in many theatrical productions. Her roles included Irene Molloy in Hello, Dolly! and Mother Jones in Robert Shenkkan’s The Kentucky Cycle, a seven-hour-long play in which she also sang Appalachian folk ballades and played the fiddle.
Link to performance resume
Devony particularly relishes the opportunity to perform new works. As a 2017 fellow at Ravinia Steans Music Institute, she collaborated with composer William Bolcom in a concert of his art songs and cabaret music. As a Marc and Eva Stern Fellow at Songfest in 2013, she performed the world premiere of Ben Moore’s John and Abigail and the west coast premiere of John Musto's Six Scottish Songs. While earning her M.M. in Dawn Upshaw’s Graduate Vocal Arts Program at Bard College, she created the lead role in Shawn Jaeger’s opera, Payne Hollow, collaborated on concerts of contemporary music with Pulitzer Prize winning composer Joan Tower, and performed the world premiere of Daniela DeMatos’ “Encounter,” to high praise from both the New York Times and the Boston Classical Review. Smith received her B.A. from Pepperdine University, where she performed Meg in Adamo’s Little Women.
Most recently on the operatic stage, Devony performed Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) with Bronx Opera and OperaRox Productions, Cendrillon with Utopia Opera, and Vicky with Fresh Squeezed Opera in the East Coast Premiere of Bruce Trinkley’s Baby Shower. Patrick Dillon of OperaNews praised her Susanna, describing it as “utterly alive and natural, and beautifully sung.” Devony's theatrical experiences have been a rich compliment to her classical training. At Smother’s Theater in Malibu, she appeared in many theatrical productions. Her roles included Irene Molloy in Hello, Dolly! and Mother Jones in Robert Shenkkan’s The Kentucky Cycle, a seven-hour-long play in which she also sang Appalachian folk ballades and played the fiddle.
Link to performance resume