161:. After eight years at the Tuskegee Institute, Smith decided to leave because of a rumored disagreement between him and Washington about the number of plantation songs in his orchestral arrangements. Once again, his connection with Teddy Roosevelt led him to accept a position to head the military and music departments at the Western Baptist University in Kansas City in 1913. His rigorous instruction and strong results led to Smith leaving the university to join the
46:, Smith began his music education very early organizing bands in Wichita starting in 1893. His strict military style leadership led to prominence and over the next 30 years he would lead bands in Chicago, Wichita, Kansas City, the Tuskegee Institute, and in St. Louis. He was an important educator for many of the prominent early
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to work in their music publications division by organizing a number of bands and choruses. For this job, he moved to
Chicago where he started a number of bands. In addition, he led the band for the Eighth Illinois Infantry unit for four years. During this time, he went with the infantry unit to the
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explained that Smith was "short, gruff, military in bearing, wore glasses and was never without his full uniform and decorations. His language was rather rough and occasionally shocking to the few young ladies who were taking music classes, though never offensive." The students he instructed who
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Wherever he moved, Smith would organize a variety of different bands and choirs. These included beginner bands, youth touring bands, choral societies, and even symphony orchestras. He began organizing bands in
Wichita where one of the bands was selected to attend the
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The
University of Missouri-Kansas City page about Smith calls him "America's Greatest Colored Bandmaster" and his legacy was significant on African-American music and particularly on jazz. He was very rigorous and strict with his musical instruction. One student,
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musicians from Kansas City, Chicago, and St. Louis. He died in 1935 as the result of a stroke. Many primary documents about Smith's life have been lost as a result of a fire that destroyed most of his personal documents.
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Smith composed almost 100 works and many of these and his other arrangements are notable. Many involved creating musical accompaniment for Negro spirituals and plantation songs. The list of notable compositions include:
71:. At Fort Leavenworth, he learned music under the German bandleader H.E. Gungle who identified Smith's talent and encouraged him to continue his musical education. After finishing formal education, he worked briefly in
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in
Chicago. At each place he moved, Smith was noted for organizing many bands in the area including the first African-American symphony orchestra, a number of women's choruses and bands, and youth bands (including the
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in Kansas City in 1916. Although his instruction was quite strict, he began encouraging students to experiment with the developing new musical genre of Jazz. He moved again in 1922 to become the bandleader at the
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won the
Wannamaker Prize in 1932 and was performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra that same year. During the same period, CBS Radio broadcast a weekly program from 1933 until 1935 titled
149:. After touring, Smith returned and continued forming and leading bands in Chicago and Wichita until 1905. In that year, Teddy Roosevelt convinced him to become the bandleader at the
142:, where he had to register as a "private student" to attend classes at the otherwise all white school. It was during this time in Chicago that his daughter Anna was born.
190:. Although he continued organizing a number of community bands and musical societies, it was in St. Louis that his work achieved the most wide success. His composition
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134:. His military rank and promotion during this period are not precisely clear, however, it is generally contended that during this period he achieved the rank of
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as an Army trumpeter in 1891. However, eye problems prevented him from pursuing a military career, so he moved with his wife, Laura Smith (née Lawson), to
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He returned to Kansas City in 1898 in order to lead a youth band on an 18-month tour of Europe and
Australia which would include a performance at the
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boxing match in
Chicago in August 1935 and returning home to Kansas City, he suffered a stroke. He died on October 8, 1935.
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musician, composer, and music educator in the United States during the early decades of the 1900s. Born on the Army base at
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Pohly, Linda (1998). "N. Clark Smith's Life and Work in
Wichita: Toward a More Complete Biography".
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In addition, he wrote a number of pieces on music practice. This included a weekly column for
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to Dan and Maggie Smith. His father was an Army
Trumpeter at the fort. His mother was half
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and that at the age of eight the younger Smith accompanied
Douglass in playing the famous
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Pauline James Lee – who would become the President of the Chicago University of Music
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Nathaniel Clark Smith was born July 31, 1877 (or possibly in 1866) in
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in the United States Army. While living in Chicago he studied at the
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Santousuosso, Ernie (February 14, 1981). "Hampton's Life of Jazz".
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in the publishing industry before beginning service in the Army at
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Bucker, Reginald T. (1985). "Rediscovering Major N. Clark Smith".
117:. While in Chicago with the band Smith signed an agreement with
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American people who self-identify as being of Cherokee descent
401:"LaBudde Special Collections: Major N. Clark Smith Collection"
98:, and song that would become a famous arrangement of Smith's,
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Ohman, Marian M. (2003). "Major N. Clark Smith in Chicago".
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Smith returned to Kansas City in 1935. After attending the
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The Bulletin of Historical Research in Music Education
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went on to have significant musical careers include:
34:; July 31, 1877 – October 8, 1935) was an important
368:Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society
342:New Jubilee Songs for Quartette, Choir or Chorus
157:. To honor his new institution, he composed the
182:In 1931, he moved again to begin teaching at
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465:. Vol. 71, no. 6. pp. 36–42.
439:. Vol. 19, no. 2. pp. 71–89.
370:. Vol. 96, no. 1. pp. 49–79.
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175:'s Newsboys Band, which included a young
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494:. University of Missouri-Kansas City
403:. University of Missouri-Kansas City
168:Wendell Phillips Academy High School
90:Smith claimed that his father knew
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310:Frederick Douglass Funeral March
535:African-American jazz composers
198:with Smith as the bandleader.
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128:Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt
332:Newspaper and two books:
115:1893 Chicago World's Fair
316:Tuskegee Institute March
159:Tuskegee Institute March
540:American jazz composers
530:American jazz educators
492:"Smith, Major N. Clark"
463:Music Educators Journal
242:Eddie Cole, brother of
140:Chicago Musical College
132:Battle of San Juan Hill
550:Musicians from Kansas
337:The Elements of Music
276:Roberta Dodd Crawford
147:1900 Paris Exposition
28:Nathaniel Clark Smith
555:American bandleaders
155:Booker T. Washington
124:Spanish–American War
32:Major N. Clark Smith
18:Major N. Clark Smith
305:Steal Away to Jesus
188:St. Louis, Missouri
163:Lincoln High School
122:front lines in the
101:Steal Away to Jesus
228:Lammar Wright, Sr.
184:Sumner High School
151:Tuskegee Institute
92:Frederick Douglass
16:(Redirected from
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173:Chicago Defender
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525:1935 deaths
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498:11 November
407:11 November
286:Hayes Alvis
258:Milt Hinton
238:Walter Page
73:Kansas City
514:Categories
348:References
108:Bandleader
55:Early life
263:Ray Nance
208:Joe Louis
87:in 1893.
77:Fort Sill
329:The Call
248:Ike Cole
81:Oklahoma
69:Cherokee
210:versus
153:led by
130:at the
30:(often
65:Kansas
44:Kansas
136:Major
500:2013
409:2013
246:and
48:Jazz
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