WHAT'S YOUR NAME? 

Stephanie Lynne Smith, "Miss Smith" if you're nasty.*

WHERE WERE YOU BORN?  

Wichita Falls General Hospital in Wichita Falls, Texas. 

Mom said the doctor and Dad were watching Carter and Ford debate.

I KNOW YOU WENT TO COLLEGE.

I have a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from University of Colorado Boulder and a Master of Chamber Music Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. I don't remember most of it but I have the papers to prove it. 

PAST JOBS? 

Working at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco was lovely. They keep their things tidy and have excellent grammar. 

YOU TRAVEL A LOT.

I do. I tour with Franc D'Ambrosio as his pianist and maintain studios in the Bay Area and at home in Oregon. Shout out to Alaska Airlines! 

WHAT IS YOUR TEACHING STYLE?

I want to teach people the way I wasn't taught. There were nuggets of wisdom from each of my teachers but the competitions and public performances caused me to become disconnected from my passions. Performing became a chore and practicing, impossible. As I have moved through various phases in my craft, I have noticed a common issue: performance anxiety. I seek to undo damaging performance experiences. 

WHO ARE YOUR TEACHERS? 

I learned incredible piano pedagogy from Alvin Chow and had wonderful conversations about Beethoven with Paul Hersch. My true path began at the Shari Carlson Studio in San Francisco as Shari's pianist, then I took her classes as a singer. I am on a path to train in the Essential Compass. It's a brilliant performance tool. Michelle Bravo at EOS is coaching unlike anything I've ever received. She changed my life. 

COFFEE OR TEA?

Coffee. 

SHOE SIZE?

10.5 in women's. It's the most annoying size ever. Nobody has 10.5 in women's. They jump from size 10 to 11. Socks stop at size 10! So I often order men's 9.5, which oddly translates to a women's 10.5—but socks are a nightmare because, of course, my foot is narrow. I can't even.  

ANY ADVICE FOR PEOPLE READING THIS?

Reduce your stress level. Stress is a killer. Stress makes you gain and hold weight. Stress causes any manner of ailment that might be manifesting as something else entirely. Reduce your stress level!

*This is a Janet Jackson reference. If you don't know this reference, stop what you're doing and go watch "Nasty Boys." It's my favorite ballet.