Natalie Smith

Biography

Natalie Smith, Ph.D., is a visiting assistant teaching professor and assistant director of University bands at Syracuse University.

At Syracuse, Smith co-directs the marching band, directs the pep band and concert band, and teaches conducting and other various courses within the Setnor School of Music. In addition to her position at Syracuse, Smith is an instructor for the Macy’s Great American Marching Band, the flagship band of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. She is a frequent guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator across many states.

Prior to her arrival at Syracuse, Smith was the assistant director of bands and an assistant teaching professor at Wake Forest University (WFU) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. At Wake Forest, she directed the athletic bands and chamber ensembles, served as the assistant conductor for the wind ensemble, advised student honors projects, and taught Introduction to Popular Music. She served as the Kappa Zeta chapter sponsor of Kappa Kappa Psi at WFU and as the advisor for Musical Empowerment. During her time in North Carolina, she was also on music staff for the North Carolina Ambassadors of Music band and performed flute/piccolo with the Piedmont Wind Symphony.

A native of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, Smith earned a Ph.D. in music education from Auburn University with certificates in college and university teaching and program evaluation. She was a graduate teaching assistant for the Department of Music at Auburn, where she worked with the athletic and concert bands, taught undergraduate music major and non-music major courses, and performed administrative duties. During her time at Auburn, Smith also served as the director of the Auburn Community Orchestra. Prior to her appointment at Auburn, Smith served as an elementary instrumental music teacher for Baltimore County Public Schools. During this time, she also served as the pep band coordinator/director at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where she built a new band to play at their Division I basketball games.

Smith holds a B.S. in music education from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and earned an M.M. in flute performance from East Carolina University. While at East Carolina University, she served as a graduate teaching assistant for the university athletic bands and as a graduate instructor for the flute studio. Smith is also an active performer. She built and taught a private studio for flute, saxophone and piano consisting of students ranging from elementary to college. Smith has also performed as the third flute/piccolo for the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra in LaGrange, Georgia, as a substitute flute for the Albany Symphony in Albany, Georgia, as a guest conductor for the Piedmont Wind Symphony, and as a guest performer and conductor in many professional ensembles.

Smith has presented research sessions at both state and national conferences and has been published in various educational journals. She previously served as the Collegiate Editor of The Women Conductor, the journal of Women Band Directors International (WBDI), and was the vice president of the North Carolina chapter of WBDI. Her research interests include collegiate music curriculum, navigating success in all sizes and varieties of athletic bands, urban teaching, performer conductor relationships, and bridging the gap between performers and educators.

Smith is an active member of the College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, College Music Society, National Flute Association, Women Band Directors International, North Carolina Music Educators Association, New York State School Music Association, ACC Band Directors Association, Pi Kappa Lambda Honors Society, and is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity and Tau Beta Sigma Honorary Band Sorority.

Education

• Ph.D., Auburn University
• M.M., East Carolina University
• B.S., Indiana University of Pennsylvania