Dr. Joshua D. Smith is Associate Professor of Music at Bethel University in McKenzie, Tennessee where he is responsible for all aspects of percussion, including teaching applied lessons, directing the percussion ensemble, leading master classes, and coaching percussion recital performances. Additionally, Dr. Smith conducts the top wind band and teaches academic classes within Bethel’s Division of Music, which is coupled with his years of experience directing marching drum lines and marching bands across the country. Smith earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas, a Master of Music Performance degree from James Madison University, and a Bachelor of Music in music education degree from the University of Kentucky.
As a performer, Dr. Smith maintains a healthy schedule that includes intimate venues for solo recital performances and orchestral halls for symphonic engagements. Through various performing entities, Dr. Smith has participated in a number of United States and world premieres, including performances at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention and Carnegie Hall. As a recording percussionist, Dr. Smith has contributed to album and video recordings through the GIA/Windworks label. As a regular section percussionist with both the Paducah Symphony Orchestra (Paducah, Kentucky) and the Jackson Symphony Orchestra (Jackson, Tennessee), Dr. Smith regularly performs some of the finest literature in orchestral repertoire, encompassing works from Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov to those of Bernstein and Stravinsky.
Dr. Smith is an accomplished author, composer, arranger, and clinician, and also enjoys a teaching career that includes both university and public school experience. He is affiliated with the Percussive Arts Society, Black Swamp Percussion, D’addario, Innovative Percussion, The College Music Society, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Beta Kappa, Kappa Kappa Psi (honorary,) Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (honorary,) Tri-M Music Honor Society, and a four-time honoree of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.
Dr. Smith is proud to be a Yamaha Performing Artist.
