David Smith born was born in 1949, grew up in Kensington Maryland, and is a product of the Montgomery County Public School System where he graduated from Albert Einstein High School in 1967. David’s father Johnny played music his whole life and was the owner of Smith’s Drum Shop, located in Wheaton Maryland for 25 years. Mr. Smith graduated from the University of Maryland in 1973 with a B.S. degree in music education. Mr. Smith moved to Los Angeles and in 1974 became the Director of Percussion at Los Angeles City College. While in Los Angeles Mr. Smith finished his Masters Degree in Percussion Performance with Mitchell Peters at California State University at Los Angeles. Mr. Smith was active in the recording studios in Los Angeles. Some of Mr. Smith’s performing credits include film work, performing on “Apocalypse Now”, and “Missing”, recording with the “Beach Boys” and performing with many artists such as Bob Dylan, Herb Jeffries, Charo, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Michael Bolton, and locally with Chris Vadala, just to name a few.

With the birth of his first son in 1987 and wanting to get off the road, Mr. Smith accepted a job with the Baltimore County Public School System where he taught until 1993 when he accepted the position of

band director at Mayfield Woods Middle School. In 2001 Mr. Smith was hired as band director of Clarksville Middle School. Mr. Smith has a Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Band all of which regularly receive superior ratings at festivals throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Most recently Mr. Smith’s Clarksville Middle School Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the prestigious Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic held in Chicago. Hundreds of bands apply every year to be selected to perform at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. Very few actually get invited. This is one of the highest accolades that can be given to any instrumental music program. Mr. Smith’s Wind Ensemble was the first band to be selected from Howard County and the first middle school band ever to be select from the state of Maryland.

Mr. Smith still is active as a performer, guest conductor and adjudicator. He has written many compositions for percussion and has authored a beginning percussion method “Time in My Hands”, and produced a CD entitled “Dave Smith and Friends”. As a private teacher he has placed many students in the County and State bands from around the area. Some of Mr. Smith’s private students have gone on to have very successful careers, performing with James Taylor, Mister Mister, Phil Collins, The Chattanooga Symphony, and Madonna.

After returning from the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in 2009, Mr. Smith created the Regional Repertory Wind Ensemble. The philosophy of the group is to hire a guest conductor/composer that will prepare a concert of literature that is composed exclusively by the guest composer, so the students learn the music from the composer of the pieces. This was something that Mr. Smith felt was a huge part of the Midwest experience that the students truly appreciated. And hence wanted to recreate that experience every year.

After teaching for 22 years in the Howard County Public School System, Mr. Smith retired from Clarksville Middle School. His retirement did not last long as he became the Director of Musical Studies at Gonzaga College High School where he currently teaches Theory, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, and Percussion Ensemble.

Mr. Smith currently resides in Carroll County Maryland where he has lived for 23 years.