Barry Smith (born 13 May 1939) is a South African organist, choral and orchestral conductor, author, and musicologist.[1]
Early life, education, and career
Born in Port Elizabeth in South Africa, Smith was a chorister at St Mary's Collegiate Church, Port Elizabeth.[2] Educated at the Grey School in Port Elizabeth (1946–1955), in 1956 Smith was awarded a scholarship to Rhodes University,[2] where he completed his PhD degree. In 1960, Smith went to the United Kingdom on scholarship to the Royal School of Church Music.[2] Smith then returned to South Africa to serve as Director of Music for two years at the Michaelhouse senior school for boys in KwaZulu-Natal province from 1962 to 1964. He was appointed as Organist and Master of the Choristers at St George's Cathedral, Cape Town in 1964 – the first South African to hold this position, in which he continued for 42 years.[3]
Work
From 1966 to 1999, Smith was an Associate Professor on the staff of the Faculty of Music at the University of Cape Town, and during his time there, he completed a PhD at Rhodes University on the subject of Peter Warlock. Later, he was also awarded a DMus from the University of Cape Town in 1996. In 1964, Smith founded the St. George's Singers, which he directed until 2015.[4] Besides conducting in the United Kingdom, Austria, and Israel, Smith has made several solo recital tours both in America, England and Australia and played in Westminster Abbey and King's College, Cambridge.
He has adjudicated in Hong Kong and directed music courses in Perth, Australia and in Washington D.C. In June 2007, Smith and his St George's Singers took part in the Sir Edward Elgar 150th Anniversary Celebrations in Worcester, England, where he also conducted the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in Worcester Cathedral. In 2013, he conducted the English Symphony Orchestra at the Bromsgrove Music Festival. Smith was the choirmaster and organist at St Michael's Catholic Church.[5] in Rondebosch, Cape Town from 2007 until 2014.[6]
He now plays for the Sunday morning service at the Gardens Presbyterian Church in Cape Town.[citation needed]
^"Officers of the guild". The Guild of Church Musicians. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2008. HONORARY FELLOWS [...] 1989 Dr Barry Smith
^Greyling, Eduard (5 November 2009). "Bydraers tot verskeie kunste vereer". Die Burger (in Afrikaans). p. 13. Smith vir sy lewenswerk op die gebied van musiek