Tufts Prof. John McDonald:'Hale Smith was a very talented but underappreciated composer'

[Hale Smith]

Hale Smith (1925-2009) made important contributions to Classical Music as well as Jazz. A complete Works List by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma can be found on the Hale Smith page at AfriClassical.com.

The Tufts Daily

“University to host first−ever music festival featuring Tufts composers

By Amelie Hecht

Published: Friday, March 12, 2010

Culture groups will host performances during the expanded Culture Fest.

Tufts will host a weeklong music festival beginning Sunday featuring Tufts composers performing alongside guest musicians in a notable collaboration between different musical talents. The festival, which Professor of Music John McDonald organized, will include four distinct performances throughout the week and facilitate collective work between musicians.”

“A portion of Thursday evening will honor the recently deceased composer Hale Smith, McDonald said. Joel Smith, a lecturer in the music department and a former student of Smith’s, will play two movements of a piece he composed. 'It’s a tribute to Hale Smith,' Joel Smith said. 'I am going to be playing a work that I had worked on with him when I was a student.' McDonald expressed his desire to acknowledge Hale Smith’s contributions to the music world with this concert. 'Hale Smith was a very talented but underappreciated composer, and I really wanted to give him his due recognition,' McDonald said.”