Violist Caeli Smith was born in Philadelphia and made her debut as an orchestra soloist at age ten with the Philadelphia Classical Symphony. She holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Juilliard, where she was a principal violist of the Juilliard Orchestra, and received the William Schuman Prize for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Music. Caeli was a prizewinner of Juilliard’s Concerto Competition and appeared as a soloist with the Juilliard Orchestra in Alice Tully Hall. She has collaborated with many distinguished musicians in chamber music settings, including Leon Fleisher, Ani Kavafian, Timothy Eddy, and Roger Tapping.

A dedicated journalist, Caeli’s articles have appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, as well as Strings and Symphony magazines. Caeli is a New York Philharmonic Teaching Artist, and teaches on the faculty of HeifetzPEG at the Heifetz International Music Institute. She is a member of Noree Chamber Soloists; Symphony in C; Frisson; and frequently appears with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Caeli is a fellow with Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect for the 2018-2020 seasons.