Meet Mikhaila Alyssa Smith | Composer, Orchestrator & Pianist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mikhaila Alyssa Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mikhaila Alyssa, how do you think about risk?
This is wild! As I was on my run this morning, a building I passed had a sign that said, “take the risk,” so this question feels quite suited to the moment.

One of the reasons I am where I am is because I took risks for the very thing I love most. When I packed my bags and moved from Cape Town to New York to pursue this career, it was a risk that I took. I saw my parents make the boldest sacrifices to help make my dream a reality, I left everything behind, I had no financial security and nothing was guaranteed. Being the planner that I am, facing uncertainty and submitting to the unknown were of my greatest challenges. There is also so much complexity coming from another country!

I also always knew what I had to do and it is very much a part of what it means to chase a dream; there is an element of risk, of the unknown – and finding that peace and conviction within yourself that regardless of what happens, it will have all been worth it. So I closed my eyes and decided to leap. I didn’t have a very gracious landing, but what I can say for sure is that I would do it all a thousand times again because it has given me one of the greatest adventures and because of it, I get to make music in the city of my dreams.

Risk has challenged me, it has pushed me to make decisions I never thought I would make and it has definitely taken me far out of my comfort zone, but it helped open the door to so much growth, endless possibility and the most glorious of memories that I wouldn’t change for the world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
On May 25th, 2007, I found myself in a movie theatre watching what was about to become one of my all-time favorite films. I remember the date not merely because my admission ticket managed to survive a decade and half, but because it was one of those defining moments – the kind that never leaves your memory; it was the moment I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. As exaggerated as that might have sounded coming from the mind of a then twelve-year-old, it had to be true because nothing about that conviction has changed since.

It was the moment I became fully aware of the profound impact of music in film. A soaring love theme filled the space and it was the most beautiful melody I had ever heard. I instantly fell in love with the power it had to make me feel everything all at once and my eyes flooded with tears. The music was all I could hear and all I could see as it brought the scene to life. My first thought as I walked out of the theatre was that I wanted to be the person to make people feel the way that I was feeling.

That is why I do what I do and that is why I am here. Music was a big part of my life long before, but I remember that being “the moment.” I think we’ve all had a moment like that – one that suddenly made everything clear.

My love for music started with the piano. My parents surprised me with an upright Otto Bach one day and when I sat down in front of those keys for the very first time, I knew it was meant for me. As time went by, I soon became fascinated with composition, orchestration and music theory, and then after my encounter in that movie theatre, I knew I wanted to pursue composition more than anything.

I studied concert composition at the University of Cape Town and then I moved to New York to study film scoring at NYU. It was one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life and I am so thankful for everything I have learnt from my teachers over the years.

Because of my classical background and my work within the filmic world, I very much feel like a hybrid and I never consider myself one thing. Along with film, my work extends to the concert hall and interdisciplinary art where I love exploring the endless possibilities of harmony and orchestration. I’ve always been in love with a rather lush and Romantic orchestral sound and so in many ways, that feeds into my world and the kind of music I love to write. It’s the fantasy of it all that draws me in – the storytelling aspect of music; it’s all bound by narrative and the thrill of being immersed in worlds beyond this one.

The chasing of any dream is never easy; there is wonder and there is adventure, but there is also enormous complexity and challenge, especially within this field, and especially when it involves leaving your country in pursuit of the dream. No path is the same as the other and things rarely go about exactly the way you planned, but what I can say in retrospect is that they turn out even better. I’ve learnt that there is growth in the uncertainty, beauty in the unknown and adventure in the risk of it all. In the good and the bad, along with everything in between, I always find myself going back to that moment as a young girl, eyes wide in a movie theatre, and I am reminded of my “why.” It will always leave me with something to chase.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The first place I would take anyone is the Met. It has to be one of my favorite places in the city. I could spend hours walking those halls and gazing at art.

MoMA is another museum I love! When I first moved to New York and saw van Gogh’s Starry Night for the first time, I could not stop sobbing! There are so many breathtaking pieces of art housed in the city and there is nothing quite like the experience of standing in front of an artwork you’ve only ever dreamed about.

As a musician and composer, I am always wonderstruck by being in the dreamiest of performance spaces, immersing myself in music. I love going to the Met Opera, the New York City Ballet and I love spending the evening listening to the New York Philharmonic.

My partner is a jazz pianist from Cape Town, so whenever he is in the city, we frequent places like Smalls, Mezzrow, the Vanguard and Birdland, amongst others, and it’s such a thrill! I don’t think you’ve truly experienced New York City unless you’ve been inside one of its iconic jazz spaces.

The beauty is that it’s an endless exploration and there is always something new to discover.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
This journey has been filled with so many inspiring souls I’ve had the honor of learning from, so I would love to take a moment to thank my teachers, especially Hendrik Hofmeyr, Michael Patterson and Mark Suozzo who constantly moved me every composition lesson, inspired me, encouraged me and taught me absolutely everything I know. My undergraduate studies at the University of Cape Town and my graduate studies at New York University were truly of the most beautiful and memorable times of my life. I am eternally grateful for my education, the people I’ve learnt from and the mentors I’ve gained along the way.

I am thankful for the love and support of my friends here in New York, across the pond in London and back home in Cape Town. I get to do life with the best of people and I whenever I reflect on the big moments, the hard moments and all of the moments in between, they were always, always there.

I’m grateful for my partner, Andrew, who is the most remarkable human being with the best heart. He was there through it all – a tower of strength and a shining light – and I am thankful for this fairytale of a life we have together.

Then, of course, I owe it all to my family, especially my brother, Dylan, and my parents, Melanie and Spencer. Since the moment I shared this dream with them as a young girl, they supported me, loved me and went above and beyond to make it possible. For that, I am forever thankful.

Website: www.mikhailasmith.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikhailasmithcomposer/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/mikhaila-smith

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikhailasmith

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10983085/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Image Credits
Rachel Valentine Rogers