Dr. O. Wayne Smith, Staff Accompanist and Organist

Dr. O. Wayne Smith was appointed Staff Organist and Accompanist for the Choral Foundation in August 2005 after having been a frequent guest artist with the William Baker Festival Singers. He serves as organist and pianist at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Overland Park, Kansas. Wayne was previously Music Director and Organist at Faith Lutheran Church, Prairie Village, Kansas, for twenty years. He is also a staff organist for the Community of Christ Auditorium and Temple in Independence.

His formal music study concentrated on piano performance and includes a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Maryland. Piano performances have included a solo recital for former First Lady Mrs. Gerald Ford; a recital for the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and recitals for various Washington diplomatic occasions. Solo orchestral appearances include the Dallas Symphony, the Tulsa Philharmonic, the Independence Symphony and the Graceland College-Community Orchestra. Keeping an active performance schedule, he has performed as both soloist and accompanist on many concert series throughout the Kansas City area.

Dr. Smith has taught piano for Graceland College, Lamoni Iowa, and was co-founder and teacher for the Music/Arts Institute in Independence, Missouri. He currently teaches privately in Overland Park and Independence.