Meet Stefan L. Smith (he/him), a multi award winning film composer and violist from Joliet, Illinois. Stefan’s musical talents were recognized early on, as he earned a full tuition scholarship for his Bachelor degrees in Music Composition and Viola Performance from DePaul University’s School of Music. He was also awarded a full tuition scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree in Viola Performance at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, studying with violist pedagogue Donald McInnes. It’s no surprise he made the move to Los Angeles in 2008, where he continues to hone his craft.

Stefan is a true multitasker, composing music for film, TV, video games, concert halls, R&B, pop, and even EDM, all while maintaining an active professional performance/recording career, serving as a principal (and/or guest principal) and section violist with some of the most prestigious American orchestras such as the: Hollywood Studio Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, The Academy’s Oscars Orchestra, and many more. He’s even been featured as an on-screen musician, appearing in major productions like the 66th Grammy Awards, 75th Emmys, 94th Academy Awards, Modern Family, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The West Wing and more.

The awards and recognition that Stefan has received throughout his career is a testament to his talents. Most recently, his score to “She Dreams at Sunrise” won the 2022 Hollywood Music In Media Award for Best Score in an Animated Short. He is also the recipient of the 2021 ASCAP David Rose Award for Film Scoring, and the National Award of Merit at the National Fine Arts Festival of 2000. In 2013, he was invited to join the UC Berkeley Young Musicians Program Faculty, where he taught violin, viola, and music composition. He is also a sponsored artist with leading companies such as William Harris Lee, a former Maestro Foundation Performing Artist, Coda Bow International Performing Artist, and Remic Microphones.

In 2019, Stefan was commissioned to write “The Soul of Gaia”, a symphonic work for the Chicago Sinfonietta, which premiered at Orchestra Hall. Smith was also commissioned by the Colburn School to compose “My Young Friend”, a concert work for Bassoon and Piano, for the Principal Bassoonist of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Andrew Brady. In 2023, Stefan was commissioned to write his, “Quintet in the Key of Blue” for the National Orchestra Institute and the Savannah Music Festival, which was premiered by Joseph Conyers’ Dubhe Ensemble in June 2023.

Most recently, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra commissioned and premiered Smith’s “My Young Friend for Bassoon and Chamber Orchestra”, with Principal Bassoonist Andrew Brady in March of 2024. This year, Smith was commissioned by the Michael Steinberg and Jorja Fleezanis Fund to write a chamber work for Narrator and Sextet, based off of the poetry of Tracy K. Smith’s “An Old Story”. Stefan’s musical setting of “An Old Story” premiered at Westminster Hall in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 4th, 2025. Smith is also a former Artistic Director for Fever Up’s “Candlelight” chamber music series and is also the Artistic Director of the Metropolis Chamber Musicians. With his striking viola performances, heart-stirring compositions and an unwavering passion for music, Stefan L. Smith is truly a unique force within the global music and film industries.

Smith is represented by Spectra Creative Agency in Los Angeles, CA.

Stefan L. Smith at Dubstage Mixing Session for
“Batman: The Doom that Came to Gotham”