Mercedes Smith, a Texas native, is Principal Flutist of the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet Orchestras.  She has performed in Asia, Europe, and throughout the United States.  Mercedes won 2nd Place in the 2007 Haynes International Flute Competition and was awarded a sterling silver Haynes Classic flute.  As first prizewinner of Artists International, she gave her New York Recital Debut in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall in 2002.  Her debut featured solo and chamber works all by American composers including three world premieres.  Also as a recitalist, Mercedes performed at the Kunming International Arts Festival, China, in a performance that was televised throughout Asia.  She has been a top-prizewinner in competitions sponsored by the National Flute Association, Music Teacher's National Association, and Flute Talk Magazine.  As first prizewinner of the Manhattan School of Music’s Concerto Competition, she performed the Concerto for Flute by Jacques Ibert under the baton of Gunther Schuller and has also performed the concerto with the Doctor’s Orchestra of Houston.

A former resident of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas, Mercedes performed at the Hot Springs Music Festival for three years and was featured in the nationally televised PBS documentary "Sound of Dreams" highlighting the festival.  In previous summers, Mercedes has been a fellowship recipient at Tanglewood, Music Academy of the West, and was a member of the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland.  As a chamber musician, she has performed at the Marlboro

Music Festival, Bargemusic, Da Camera of Houston, and

Musiqa Houston. 

At the age of 16 Ms. Smith was

accepted as a scholarship

student at the Manhattan

School of Music and is greatly

indebted to her teachers

Michael Parloff,

Jeanne Baxtresser, and

Dr. Ronda Mains.