Jacqueline Smith
A native of the Catskill mountain region of New York, Jacqueline Smith is active as a soprano, a choral conductor, a teacher of voice, and a church musician. Ms. Smith has been a member of the music faculties of La Salle University, Eastern University, and Cairn University. Currently she is Director of Choral Activities at Central High School in Philadelphia. She also maintains a private teaching studio in her home. Ms. Smith is Director of Music at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Abington, PA, where she directs voice and bell choirs, and plays the organ for services. She is also the Dirigentin of the German choirs at Vereinigung Erzgebirge, 130 Davisville Rd., Warminster, PA 18974, and is the founder and director of the ecumenical choir Musica Concordia.
She holds the Master of Music degree in voice performance from Temple University where she studied with Professor Emeritus Florence Berggren. For many years she was also a student of the late Martin Rich, associate conductor at The Metropolitan Opera. Her undergraduate degrees in church music and Biblical studies are from Cairn University, where she was a voice major/organ minor. Ms. Smith has been a fellow at the Bach Aria Festival, has attended the Bach Sommerakademie in Stuttgart with Helmut Rilling, and has been a participant in the Boris Goldovsky opera workshops.
She has appeared as soloist with many orchestras and oratorio societies throughout the Philadelphia area and in New Jersey. Critics have praised her “elegant stylishness and vocalistic aplomb…soaring tone…warm solo vocalism…her lyric soprano exuding charm.” Of her Marzelline Bernard Jacobsen wrote, “she simply stood there and let beguiling tones flow forth.” Ms. Smith has premiered many works, including songs written by her husband, composer Kile Smith. An active recitalist, Ms. Smith has sung in many recital venues in the Philadelphia area. Active as well in early music, she was a longtime member of the Baroque ensemble The Tabor Camerata and the medieval/Renaissance group Quidditas.