Marcus D. Smith, Choral Director
Marcus D. Smith a pianist, composer, arranger, teacher and choral director. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. Marcus Smith currently serves as the Minister of Music at Ark Church for 22 years, adjunct professor at the Carter School of Music and serves as Choral Director of the world renowned, Baltimore City College Choir (10 years).
Marcus earned his high school diploma from Baltimore City College, holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Piano Performance from Morgan State University (2006), and a Masters of Science Degree in Music Education from Towson University (2011). Marcus has taken post-graduate classes from Westminster Choir College and The United Theological Seminary College. Marcus has studied music under the leadership of pioneers such as Ms. Linda R. Hall, Mr. William Patrick Alston, Dorothy Marshall, Dr. Lawrence Crawford, Cyrus Chestnut, the late Mr. Reynaldo Reyes, the late Dr. Robert Jordan and the late Dr. Nathan M. Carter.
Marcus has performed with world-class orchestras including, Czech National Symphony Orchestra in Prague, Columbia Symphony Orchestra in South America, Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra at the Mann Center and the Ithaca College Orchestra in Ithaca, New York. For several years, Marcus has taught piano at the Nathan Carter School of Music in Baltimore, MD. In 2008, Marcus recorded with his church choir, The Divine Voices of Praise, “Be Still and Know”. The choir also participated in the 2008 and 2010 “How Sweet the Sound'' Competition sponsored by Verizon Company. In 2018, the choir toured Leipzig, Germany and participated in the Annual International Bach Festival. In the summer of 2019, Marcus taught in Shanghai, China at Fudan University. In 2021, he served as Choirmaster for the performance with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, with legendary Broadway, Tony Award winner, André De Sheilds and the Baltimore City College Choir. In 2022, he returned to perform with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra with the Jeremy Winston Chorale; facilitated music workshops for the Mount Fortune Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Conference on the Island of Anguilla; and served clinician at the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses (The Thomas Dorsey Conference).
He was awarded the Mary Shy Scott Advancements in Arts Education Award from the Charm City Pearl Foundation, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Psi Phi Omega Chapter. In 2017, the Iota Phi Lambda, Kappa Chapter, awarded Marcus with the “Living Maker of Black History” award.
Marcus is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Maryland Music Educators Association (MMEA), The Multi-Generational Conclave of Musicians and Directors in Baltimore, National Convention of Gospel Choirs & Choruses and Hampton Minister’s Conference. He is an honorary member of the national music society, Choir Psi Phi.
