Jazzamatazz!

I was a member of the Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus from 1973 through 1975 while a student at William Hadley Jr. High.  Unfortunately, my family moved to Texas in the summer of 1975 forcing a premature end to my relationship with the Chorus, but I will forever cherish my days with the GECC and never forget the happy times I enjoyed, especially our trip to St. Louis to perform before the International Choral Director’s Association.  Doreen Rao instilled in me a deep appreciation for music and a love of singing that remains with me today.

After completing high school, I attended Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas where I graduated in 1983 with a double major in Political Science and Criminal Justice.  I later earned my Masters Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Sam Houston State University.  After graduation, I worked as a criminal investigator conducting undercover narcotics investigations with the U.S. Customs Service’s Operation Blue Lightning Strike Force.  Following my law enforcement career, I embarked on a second career in politics and public affairs.  I am now the President of Todd Smith & Associates, a political consulting company representing elected officials and candidates at the Federal, state, and local levels.  I am also the General Partner of Impact Texas/Impact US a lobbying and Public Affairs Company with offices in Austin, Texas and Washington, D.C. representing a number of corporate and trade association clients before the United States Congress and various state legislatures.

I live in Austin, Texas with my wife Kellie and our two beautiful children, Reagan and Jacob.  We attend Christian Life Church where I perform each year in our annual production of The Choice, a musical adaptation of the passion of Christ.  I am proud of my association with the Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus and I am extremely grateful for the instructions that came with that association, both in music and life.

Some of us at the Chorus have recently returned from the Central Division American Choral Directors' Association convention, covering the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. The GECC was well represented, as Bill Buhr, our Principal Accompanist, played for the collegiate choir repertoire rehearsals, two of our touring choristers were selected by audtion to sing in the high school honor choir with Anton Armstrong of St. Olaf College, and I presented an interest session on rehearsal techniques for young choirs and a reading session of new repertoire. Colleagues Grace Schwanda and Lauren Sklar participated as well. It was a grand four days of music, sharing and learning with colleagues, seeing old friends, and making new ones. All this in frosty Grand Rapids, Michigan!

Our singers in all ensembles are deep into music for the stage-grappling with language, historical performance practice, dramatic context and bringing characters to life-all while learning the nuts and bolts of pitch and rhythm. It's a complex business, and our young artists are taking on this spring's work with great enthusiasm. We are eagerly anticipating putting together the key pieces: music, drama, soloists, and orchestra for our May "Stories in Song" program. In the meantime, there are many other events taking place as well, from visits to area schools to Bach's St. Matthew Passion at the Harris Theater at the end of this month. Merrily we roll along.