Jazz star Tommy Smith sacked from Conservatoire role

Leading Scottish jazz musician Tommy Smith has been dismissed from his senior role at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

It follows reports in the Mail on Sunday that the 58-year-old saxophonist had started a relationship with a student.

Smith had held the Head of Jazz position at the prestigious Glasgow music school for the last 16 years.

However he will remain in post as artistic director of two of Scotland's jazz orchestras until "due process is completed".

The Conservatoire confirmed to BBC Scotland News that he had been dismissed "following a disciplinary investigation and hearing".

A spokesperson added: "RCS has robust policies in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students and staff."

Smith is the founder of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra which is currently celebrating its 30th year.

He remains a board member of the organisation, as well as its artistic director.

In 2002 he established the Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra, a free to play group aimed at encouraging young jazz talent in Scotland.

In a statement, the board said it was aware of the newspaper reports but that the artistic director post was very different from a teaching role.

It said: "While the board is aware of the Mail on Sunday report surrounding his removal from post by the Royal Conservatoire for Scotland, we wish it to be understood that his work with the SNJO and the TSYJO is, as Artistic Director, significantly different from his teaching position at the RCS.

"Moreover, as with such cases, Mr Smith is within his rights to appeal his dismissal, therefore, we will be making no further comment until any due process is completed."

A concert by the TSYJO - where Smith was not scheduled to appear - is still going ahead on Friday as part of the city's jazz festival.

A spokesperson for the event said: "The jazz orchestra show will go ahead as planned, conducted by Pete Johnstone, giving 26 young musicians a platform to showcase their musical talents as part of the festival."

Smith has had a prolific and successful music career and in 2009 was appointed as the inaugural head of the first-ever full-time jazz course at the RCS.

He was awarded an OBE for his services to jazz in 2019.

Smith has been approached for comment.

Tommy Smith has been a star of the jazz world since his teens.

He was born and brought up in the Wester Hailes housing scheme in Edinburgh and began playing while a pupil at the local secondary. He recorded his first album - Giant Strides - when he was just 16.

He won a scholarship to study in the United States and was signed to the Blue Note jazz label at 22.

He went on to found the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and has worked with many jazz greats including Johnny Dankworth, Cleo Laine and Miles Davis.

A noted composer and arranger as well as a performer, Smith was awarded the OBE in 2019 and holds honorary doctorates from Heriot Watt University and the University of Edinburgh.