Irene Britton Smith (1907-1999) was born in Chicago, Illinois. She studied composition with Stella Roberts and Leo Sowerby at the American Conservatory, where she received her Bachelor of Music degree in
This previously unpublished concertino was written by Stephen Sondheim in 1949 while a student at Williams College. It was rediscovered by Jonathan Sheffer, who transcribed it for chamber ensemble, and