About Us

Mr. Clarence R. Smith, Jr., has a long history of involvement in the cultural life of Toledo. He has served on a variety of committees, commissions, and task forces on both the local and state levels, for governmental and non-profit cultural organizations. He has been music director for several professional musical and dinner theater productions, including with his entertainment group, CRSmith Productions. 

Additionally, he has worked with and guest conducted numerous groups. He has served as director of music at the former Christian Community Church, the Braden United Methodist Church, and the Monroe Street United Methodist Church. As former director of the Scott High School Symphonic Choir, his choirs were known for their musicality, as well as, the wide variety of musical styles performed. 

Mr. Smith’s various musical groups have given him the opportunity to perform before and/ or with such notables as former Vice Presidents of the United States, Walter Mondale and George Bush, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, gospel great Whitney Phipps, and Nell Carter, former Broadway artist and star of the once popular television show “Gimme a Break.” 

His degrees include a Bachelor of Music Education Degree (Miami University), a Master of Music in Conducting (Bowling Green State University), and the Specialist Degree in Administration (University of Toledo). A former Toledo Public Schools high school principal and a retired central office HR administrator, Mr. Smith founded C. R. Smith & Associates, consultants in the area of diversity, anti-harassment training and bully prevention. His past community activities have included serving on the boards of the Arts 

Commission of Greater Toledo, CASA (President), WGTE Public Broadcasting (President), and the Toledo Zoo. He currently serves on the board of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra.

 We are celebrating its 47th season, the CSCC again shares with the greater Toledo area a unique series of cultural offerings. The Chorus specializes in the performance of Negro spirituals and is dedicated to its preservation as well as the performance of works by African American composers. The CSCC also maintains a liberal helping of standard classical music in its repertoire. Its members come from all walks of life, unified by their mutual love of great music. This award-winning ensemble has performed numerous times on radio, presented its own television “Special” on the statewide educational television network, as well as appearances on local TV stations. They have been featured with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, at the University of Michigan’s “Music of Black Americans Symposium”, with the Toledo Jazz Orchestra, the Toledo Museum of Art, Lourdes College Series, and nearly every major musical organization in the Toledo area. The CSCC has commissioned works include collaborations with, jazz great and professor, Mr. Stanley Cowell, Mr. Charles Lloyd, Jr., professor at Southern University, Dr. Dave Jex, professor at the University of Toledo. The Chorus recently performed with international jazz artist Jon Hendricks, the “Father of Vocalize.”