STERLING — The Sterling College music department has presented Composer Series concerts once a year for the last 10 years or so, but this year’s concert features an artist who is not only a composer/arranger but also an in-demand vocalist. Los Angeles-based vocalist, arranger/composer Connor Smith will appear in concert with the Sterling College Choir and Highland Singers at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6 at Sterling’s United Presbyterian Church.
The concert will feature the Sterling choirs performing works composed and arranged by Smith as well as solo works by Smith himself.
“Connor is not only a gifted composer and arranger but is a working singer/performer in Southern California,” said Marisa Callan, Sterling College vocal music director.
“We have several students at Sterling College interested in performing in some way. With Connor’s background in voice work for movies, his recordings, and many live performances in concert halls around the world, he is uniquely qualified to bring a perspective of how to make it as a performer to our students,” said Callan. As part of his time at Sterling College he will be working directly with music students for a couple days leading up to the Saturday evening performance.
As an in-demand LA session singer, Smith’s voice has been featured in major motion pictures (“Mulan,” “Call of the Wild”), television shows, studio albums, video games and Disney recordings. He has been part of Disney’s acclaimed a cappella group DCappella. As a touring artist, vocal director and solo artist, Connor has performed across the globe in renown concert halls and recording studios as well as Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland Resorts. He has worked with such music icons as Michael Buble, Dick Van Dyke and Jodi Benson.
In addition, Smith is an award-winning and internationally recognized choral composer and vocal arranger. His published arrangements of the hymn “Be Thou My Vision” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” have won music publisher JW Pepper Awards and he has received 14 Parent’s Choice and Academics Choice Awards.
Smith’s choir works include sacred songs and some “groovy” arrangements like his mix of “Jesus Loves Me” with “This Little Light of Mine.” Two of his more standard choir anthems, “The Sunrise Will Come” and “I Hear Love,” will be included in the concert Saturday.
