Carey Smith is the Composer-in-Residence with the Meridian Symphony Orchestra in Meridian, Mississippi. He was invited to present “Second Suite for Jazz Quintet and Orchestra”, an original composition, at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, Denmark in January. The composition was chosen for recognition in the New Music section of the Annual Conductors Guild Conference.

During the presentation, Dr. Claire Fox Hillard, the conductor of the Meridian Symphony Orchestra talked about the work and played several selections from it. The Maestro discussed the level of difficulty, the need for jazz improvisation from the members of the quintet and the overall form of the composition.

“It was such an honor to have one of my original works presented at the conference,” said Smith. “We enjoyed our trip to Denmark. The national language is Danish, so I was very glad the language of the conference was in English.”

One of the highlights of the week was a unique presentation by Her Majesty Margrethe II, the Queen of Denmark, daughter of King Frederik IX, who spoke about her father’s passion for orchestral conducting.

Carey Smith has been a Music Instructor and Director of Bands for Meridian Community College for thirty years. He is the husband of Michele Maida Smith, a 1971 graduate of Italy High School and the brother-in-law of Karen Mathiowetz of Italy and Diane Lawson of Mansfield.