Daniel Smith has been awarded prizes in four of the most prestigious international conducting competitions, including: UNESCO Competition and the Sir Georg Solti Competition. Smith was invited by Maestro Valery Gergiev as the first Australian to conduct the Mariinsky Orchestra. He has been invited regularly as a guest conductor at the Mariinsky Theatre and was Principal Guest Conductor of the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa from 2017 to 2019. Born in Australia and living in Italy, he is an Australian Cultural Ambassador. He studied at major institutions: such as the Mozarteum University of Salzburg, Trinity College London, and the American Academy of Conducting in Aspen. After making his successful debut on the podium of the Mariinsky Orchestra, Smith conducted as a guest conductor with the Czech Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, the Warsaw National Philharmonic, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, the New Japan Philharmonic and many other orchestras, as well as at the Mozarteum Festspiele, the Aspen Music Festival and the Stars of the White Nights in St. Petersburg. An acclaimed interpreter of contemporary repertoire, Daniel Smith has premiered Fazil Say’s Flute Concerto, John Adams’ Violin Concerto, John Williams’ Battle of Heroes (Star Wars: Episode III) and the new critical edition of Bedřich Smetana’s Má vlast. He also has an intense activity as an opera conductor, specializing in bel canto and Italian opera. After a valuable collaboration with director Franco Zeffirelli, he made his debut at the Rossini Opera Festival, Mariinsky Theatre and Opera Australia. He subsequently worked in new productions with Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Teatro San Carlo, Norwegian National Opera, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and Greek National Opera. An advocate of Australian and indigenous music, he performs with Australia’s leading didgeridoo virtuoso, William Barton, combining didgeridoo and orchestra. He is also involved in educational projects to promote, encourage and share his passion with younger people. He created the charity ‘The Daniel Smith Gift of Music Foundation’. Reflecting his philosophy that music is everyone’s right, Smith donates concert tickets to those with financial or physical difficulties.