March 6, 2026
East Central Community College will host a special program recognizing Director of Choral Activities Chandler Smith as the recipient of the 2026 Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher Award on Tuesday, March 17, at 2 p.m. in the Ovid S. Vickers Fine Arts Auditorium on the Decatur campus.
As part of the recognition, Smith will present a program titled “The Culture of Tone.”
The presentation explores the wide spectrum of tonal colors produced by the human voice and how those sounds are shaped by cultural background, musical exposure, and personal listening habits. The session examines how singers develop preferences for certain vocal qualities based on the musical traditions they grow up hearing—including choral, classical, gospel, pop, and other styles—and how those influences shape individual concepts of “good” tone.
By examining tone as both a physiological and cultural phenomenon, the presentation encourages singers and educators to approach vocal color with greater awareness, flexibility, and artistic intention rather than relying on a single standard of vocal sound.
Smith, a native of Decatur and graduate of Newton County High School, serves as Director of Choral Activities at East Central Community College.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from Delta State University and a master’s degree in choral conducting from Mississippi College.
Prior to joining East Central, Smith served as choir director at Newton County High School and assistant choral director at Richland High School. His choirs have consistently earned superior ratings at state and regional festivals and have performed at venues across the country, including Lincoln Center alongside Grammy Award–winning conductor Eric Whitacre, the National A Cappella Convention, and the Mississippi State Capitol.
The program will include welcome remarks from East Central Community College President Dr. Brent Gregory, with introductions by Executive Vice President for Instruction David Case and remarks from Mississippi Humanities Council representative Jay Wesley.
The recognition is made possible through a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council.
The event is open to the public.
