“I had the privilege of collaborating with Caeli on the Penderecki Viola concerto at Juilliard recently. Of course she is technically phenomenal but her real gift is in her natural element as a performer. She has the talent of intent and direction in every phrase and this is a quality we rarely find to this degree with instrumentalists of any kind.”—Case Scaglione, former Associate Conductor of the New York Philharmonic

“An excellent rendition of Derek Bermel’s Soul Garden, for viola and string quintet, with Caeli Smith as soloist. Mr. Bermel delivered his own program note, stating that he conceived the viola as a sort of “gospel baritone,” and the bluesy flavor of the solo part was perfectly done.” —Frank Daykin, New York Concert Review

“Intense, precise, and full of personality, Smith dared perform a piece that demands a great deal by the performer, whose part is a nearly uninterrupted arc sound that is responsible for the architecture of the entire composition.”—OperaClick

“…the most screen time is devoted to Caeli Smith…who, when not practicing her violin, wanders around, enthralled by the constant musical stimulation surrounding her.”—The New York Times

“Still, two themes dominate: The square is a place to see lovely women and to hear lovely music. The themes converge in the person of Caeli Smith… the film’s unofficial guide and an accomplished classical violinist.” –The Philadelphia Inquirer

“But the star of the movie is Caeli Veronica Smith…, an accomplished violinist who frequently performs in the park. Seeing her play in person would be worth the bus trip to Philly.”—New York Post

“… the importance of space as a creative venue – all of which is embodied by Downey’s formalist anchor, Caeli Veronica Smith, a…virtuoso violinist and beauty who seems to embody the future of Rittenhouse, and perhaps humankind.”—Newsday (New York)

“One of the film’s high­lights is the in­ter­play between the dir­ect­or and pre­co­cious… vi­ol­in­ist Caeli Veron­ica Smith. When the wind blows away a page in the middle of a piece, Downey vali­antly at­tempts to re­trieve it. Smith keeps play­ing while si­lently, yet vis­ibly, chas­tising him un­til he fi­nally finds the right one.”—South Philly Review