Smith, Leslie

United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston, CT

Leslie is Director of Music/Organist at The United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston in Westport, Connecticut. She is studying organ with Thomas Murray while pursuing a Master in Music degree from the Institute of Sacred Music from Yale University.

Prior to Yale, Ms. Smith received her Bachelor in Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2008. She was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, where she was a member of adult and youth choirs and handbell groups, as well as various instrumental ensembles at Peachtree Presbyterian Church. In 2001, she recorded a self-titled album with the Peachtree Handbell Quartet. She is a member of both the AGO and the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers.

Ms. Smith has studied organ under Nicholas Bowden, Sarah Hawbecker, David Higgs, and Todd Wilson. Prior to attending the Cleveland Institute of Music, Ms. Smith was awarded a scholarship from the Atlanta Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) and was more recently named the 2006 recipient of the Henry Fusner Award for achievement from the CIM Organ Department.