​Riley Smith, a native of Michigan, has been studying classical guitar since before 2009. While in high school, Riley studied privately with Dr. Brad DeRoche at Central Michigan University. He went on to pursue a BFA and a MM in guitar performance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Columbus State University respectively. Riley has had the pleasure of learning performance and pedagogy from some of the leading guitar professors in America, such as Rene Izquierdo, Dr. Andrew Zohn, and Adam Holzman. In 2022, Riley taught at Carver Elementary and Arts Magnet School as a full time guitar instructor. He is currently pursuing a DMA in guitar performance from the University of Wisconsin Madison, Studying under Javier Calderon. Riley joined the Academy of Sound faculty in 2024.