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Composer Mark Smythe Dies 53 in Mt. Wilson Hiking Accident

5/15/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Composer Mark Smythe died on May 9 at 53 after collapsing while hiking on Mt. Wilson in Los Angeles.
He was nominated in 2023 for an SCL Award for The Reef: Stalked and served as SCL chief operating officer from 2018-2021.
He taught media composition at CSU Northridge, led the visual-media department at Los Angeles College of Music, and is survived by sister Kate Ward-Smythe, with colleagues noting his generosity and humor.

History

Historical Context

Leonard Bernstein rose to fame after his unscheduled 1943 Carnegie Hall debut with the New York Philharmonic, later directing the orchestra for eleven seasons and pioneering televised Young People’s Concerts that reached millions. Throughout the 1980s he founded the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute and the Pacific Music Festival, cementing a legacy of performance and education that continues to inspire mentorship programs after his 1990 death.

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Story summary

Composer Mark Smythe died on May 9 at 53 after collapsing while hiking on Mt. Wilson in Los Angeles.
He was nominated in 2023 for an SCL Award for The Reef: Stalked and served as SCL chief operating officer from 2018-2021.
He taught media composition at CSU Northridge, led the visual-media department at Los Angeles College of Music, and is survived by sister Kate Ward-Smythe, with colleagues noting his generosity and humor.

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