Katy Smith was born in 1992 and began to play the violin when she was five, initially studying with Alex Brulo. She played in the Peterborough Youth Orchestra and the Birmingham Junior Symphony Orchestra, and took part in a number of festivals. In July 2003 she won a competition to play Lalo's Symphony Espagnole with one of the Birmingham orchestras.
In September 2003 Katy joined the Yehudi Menuhin School, where she became a student of Berent Korfker. During her time there she took part in numerous prestigious events, both as a soloist and as member of the orchestra. In 2007 the Menuhin School presented her, amongst other students, during a tour of Scotland, performing violin-piano repertoire. In the Autumn of 2008 she continued her studies with Korfker at the Junior Department of the RCM. In 2010 she entered the senior RCM as a Richard Carne Charitable Trust Scholar to continue her studies with him. She is a recipient of a scholarship from the Seary Trust and was runner up in the 2011 RCM violin Competition. Katy has taken part in Masterclasses with amongst others, Zakhar Bron, Robert Masters and Zvi Zeitlin.
Most recently, in 2011 Katy played the Sibelius Concerto with the City of Cambridge Symphony orchestra and Mozart's D major concerto with the City of Peterborough Symphony orchestra. She has been engaged by several orchastras for concerts during 2012 and 2013. In 2007 she performed the 3rd violin concerto by Saint-Saëns with the Uttlesforde orchestra and Wieniawski at the Corn Exchange in Cambridge. In 2008 she played the Mendelssohn concerto with the Warwickshire County Youth Orchestra under Colin Touchin and was invited back by the City of Peterborough Symphony Orchestra after a successful concert in 2006, this time playing the Mendelssohn under Russell Keable. In March of 2009 she played the Glazunow concerto with the RCM Junior Department symphony orchestra under Richard Dickins as a result of winning last year's concerto competition. In July 2009 Katy was presented at the Oundle International Festival in an evening recital, and as a soloist with the European Union Chamber Orchestra, alongside Natalie Clein. In January of the same year she was invited to participate in the international Australian String Academy at the Sydney Conservatory as a featured student of Berent Korfker on a full scholarship. She took part in numerous solo and chamber music concerts at the prestigious Verbruggen Hall, and was awarded a prize in the Academy's Concerto Competition.
Katy has always been an enthusiastic chamber musician and has played in many groups as part of her musical activities at both the Yehudi Menuhin School and the RCM. These included several concert opportunities, most recently playing quartets by Beethoven and Dvorak. After the Summer of 2009 Katy formed a duo with pianist Susie Summers. They have since performed on numerous occasions, including several full evening recitals around the UK and on BBC television during the category finals of BBC Young Musician of the year.
Geoffrey Hindley in the Rutland and Stamford mercury about the Mendelssohn concerto with the City of Peterborough Symphony Orchestra: “Katy Smith..... delivered a fluently controlled line of melody in a tone of taut velvet... with precision, lyrical delicacy, and awesome bow control.”
Katy plays on a fine 18th century English violin, made in the circle of Nathaniel Cross. The string firm Pirastro has been generously providing Katy with Passione strings during the past 3 years.