Leland C. Smith

Leland C. Smith was born in Oakland, California in 1925. He began composing in 1938 and first studied with Darius Milhaud at age 15. He did some dance band work, and then served in a Navy band (and combo) for two and a half years. He studied with Sessions in Berkeley, where he served as his assistant, and received his B.A. and M.A. from the University of California in 1948. He attended the Paris Conservatory from 1948-1949 and returned to California in 1950. Smith played the bassoon and clarinet with the San Francisco Opera and Symphony. His first teaching position was at Mills College from 1951-1952, then at the University of Chicago for 6 years. He also played with the Chicago Opera and Symphony. He returned to California to teach at Stanford in 1958.