Thirteen-year-old violinist Calliope Smith is passionate about channeling the character of each piece she performs. Calliope is a prize winner in numerous international and local competitions, including the Arthur Grumiaux International Violin Competition, the Vancouver International Music Competition, the Odin Competition, the Chicago International Music Competition, the California MTNA Competition, the American Virtuoso International Music Competition, the Camerata Artists International Competition, the New York International Artists’ Association Praelusio Competition, the Pacific Musical Society Competition, the Beethoven Young Musician Competition and the Enkor Competition. In 2023, she soloed with the Uniart orchestra in Paris, and in 2022, she performed as an invited soloist with the New York Concerti Sinfonietta and the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra.  

An avid chamber musician on both violin and viola, Calliope has attended the Heifetz Institute Junior Division, Intermuse International Music Festival, C’est Bon Chamber Music Academy and Center Stage Strings during summers. At these festivals and at the San Francisco Conservatory Pre-College Academy, she has performed in both string quartets and piano ensembles. 

Most recently, she has championed the work of women composers, including works of Florence Price, Lili Boulanger, Amy Beach, and more.

Calliope is grateful for the inspiration of her teachers and mentors, including Simon James and Amy Beth Horman at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Pre-College Academy, as well as Hiro David, James Stern, Béla Horvath, and Natasha Makhijani. In masterclasses, she has had the privilege of learning from Midori, Chen Zhao, Ariana Kim, Ignace Jang, and Oleg Rylatko. Outside of music, she enjoys academic studies at Stanford Online High School and spends her free time writing stories, drawing and making boba.