Chad Smith Sr. is a name that resonates across various fields, from sports to music and academia. This article explores the life and career of this multifaceted individual, highlighting his early aspirations, achievements, and contributions to the world of arts and culture.
Gustavo Dudamel, a frequent collaborator with Chad Smith Sr. at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Early Life and Baseball Aspirations
In Chad Smith’s family, they like to say the third time is a charm. The Spokane Indians outfielder grew up in a baseball-centric household. His father, Ronald Smith Jr., was drafted by the Chicago Cubs and played two years in Single A with the Huntington Cubs. His grandfather, Ronald Smith Sr., was drafted by the San Francisco Giants and played three seasons in the minor leagues. Neither made it any further, but once Chad was drafted in the fifth round by the Rangers in the 2015 draft, it was another chance for a Smith to make it to the big leagues.
Chad says he doesn’t feel pressure from his dad and grandpa to make it to the major leagues, rather it’s his personal goal. It’s something Ronald has emphasized ever since Chad was playing tee-ball. “The one thing that I’ve told Chad along the way is that I want you to play for yourself,” Ronald Smith Jr. said. Chad’s dream of playing professional baseball materialized when he was about 10 years old.
Before that, football was his passion. He shifted his focus to baseball, and while Chad will tell you he made this realization on his own, his dad says he had a hand in it as well. “I went back and played in a 30-and-older league and I made Chad watch me play, just so I could spark some interest” Ronald said. Although his aspiration of playing football subsided, competing for UGA still remained an option. Chad committed to play baseball for the Bulldogs early in his high school career, but once his name was called on draft night, Chad was faced with a decision.
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One he did not take lightly. “I wish I could have had a tape recorder to tape his conversation with my wife and I when he was drafted and made the decision,” Ronald said. He ultimately decided that starting his journey of playing professional baseball was too good to pass up. “I remember telling them, a bird in the hand is worth more than two in a bush,” Chad said. “I had a great opportunity to become a professional baseball player. It’s a dream I’ve always had.
Early Career and Minor League Experience
At 17 years old, Chad embarked on his dream of baseball. Braces still line the whites of his teeth, but even though he is the second-youngest player in the Indians’ clubhouse behind pitcher Tyler Phillips, Chad carries a mature disposition. “The majority of the time, you would never guess he’s an 18-year-old compared to some of the other guys that are in this league,” Spokane assistant coach Jared Goedert said of Chad, who is hitting .296 and leading the team with 24 hits.
When Chad isn’t at the ballpark, he’s usually tuned in to MLB Network and re-watching highlights to study the game. showing, watching his favorite T.V. show, Jeopardy. He loves the show so much that he aspires to be a Jeopardy champion. Back in Snellville, Chad, his mother, Penny, and sometimes his 9-year-old sister Lauryn watch every day and play a game to see who can answer the most questions. Ronald used to play, but doesn’t as much anymore.
“I try not to get involved as much anymore. He wins all the time and I don’t like to lose,” he said. Chad’s dream of appearing on Jeopardy is on hold while he traverses his way through the minor leagues, hoping he can achieve what no other member of his family has done before. “To be honest, I always felt like he was going to have the opportunity to play professional baseball,” Ronald said.
Transition to Music and Arts Administration
Alan J. and Suzanne W. Smith’s affiliation with the Los Angeles Philharmonic has lasted more than two decades, in a number of creative and leadership roles, culminating with his appointment as the Chief Executive Officer in 2019. As CEO, Smith has overseen one of the largest and most vibrant orchestras in the world, which presents hundreds of concerts annually at multiple venues, with an operating budget that exceeds $150 million - the largest of any orchestral organization in the world.
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Among the visionary programs created during his tenure at the LA Phil is the acclaimed Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA), and its Frank Gehry-designed facility, the Beckmen YOLA Center. Under the artistic leadership of Maestro Dudamel, YOLA provides free instruments, intensive music instruction, academic support, and leadership training to close to 1700 young people in communities across Los Angeles County, and the cutting-edge facility houses daily instruction and city-wide performance events.
As CEO, Smith launched the LA Phil Humanities program, designed to promote dialogue among artists and audiences in order to contextualize classical music for the contemporary world. Programming includes festivals, speaker series, scholarly publications, art installations, and curated projects to build community involvement. Immediately prior to his CEO appointment in 2019, Smith served as the LA Phil’s Chief Operating Officer, where he oversaw artistic programming, marketing communications, production, orchestra operations, media, and learning initiatives.
Smith began his career in 2000 with Michael Tilson Thomas at the New World Symphony - a post-graduate training ensemble for young musicians preparing for careers in classical music. He first joined the LA Phil in 2002 and was responsible for planning the orchestra’s Green Umbrella new music series, as well as its classical programming at the Hollywood Bowl. After briefly serving as the New York Philharmonic’s head artistic planner, in 2006 Smith returned to the LA Phil in the expanded role of Vice President of Artistic Planning, a position he held until being named COO in 2015.
Smith is a trustee of the New England Conservatory, an advisory board member of the Music Academy of the West, and a member of the Executive Committee for the Avery Fisher Artist Program. He also served as Artistic Director for the 2020 Ojai Music Festival. Smith, 51, grew up in Pennsylvania, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in European History from Tufts University. He earned both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory.
Smith was selected following a search process that began in January 2023 and approved unanimously by a full Board of Trustees vote. Search Committee members were BSO Trustees Todd Golub, Barbara Hostetter, David Howse, John Loder, Joshua Lutzker, and Wendy Shattuck, and Edward Gazouleas, Provost of the Curtis Institute of Music and Interim Director of the Tanglewood Music Center, with consultation from BSO orchestra members and staff.
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Leadership at the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Smith currently serves as the Chief Executive of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a role he has held for four years, and at which he worked in close partnership with Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel to establish and advance several of the most impactful orchestral programs of the 21st Century. As the Julian and Eunice Cohen President and CEO of the BSO, Smith will manage the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Andris Nelsons, the Boston Pops, under the direction of Keith Lockhart, and Tanglewood, bringing a unique blend of experience both as an artist and a seasoned executive for some of the world’s most beloved arts organizations.
Relying on that insight and experience, Smith will be charged with sustaining the BSO’s international reputation for orchestral excellence and establishing a premier slate of programming initiatives to foster renewed arts appreciation among audiences and deepen the institution’s community and civic engagement.
“Chad is an extraordinarily accomplished executive with a track record of unrivaled success at producing environments where orchestras thrive, audiences experience orchestral music in both traditional and non-traditional ways, and one-of-a-kind partnerships flourish,” said John Loder, Vice Chair of the BSO’s Board of Trustees and Chair of the Search Committee that recommended that the Board appoint Smith. “A tested leader with deep experience in all aspects of orchestral administration, and a conservatory-trained classical musician, Chad possesses a singular ability to balance new programming initiatives with the critical preservation of artistic tradition at the highest level.
Throughout his career, Smith has served as a champion of composers, emerging conductors, and soloists, with a passion and skill for honoring the legacy of the orchestral art form while helping to steward a culturally vibrant and diverse future. One of his signature focuses has been the creation of performance environments and venues that offer a rich and expanding musical repertoire, celebrate new talent, and attract broad audiences. special, impactful in Boston, and revered around the world - from the Orchestra’s long standing prominence in the legendary Symphony Hall, to the beloved Boston Pops, the Tanglewood festival, the Tanglewood Learning Institute, and the Tanglewood Music Center, where I was a student for two Summers,” said Smith.
“Undoubtedly, the Orchestra thrives at the center of it all - a cultural jewel for the city, as well as the arts community locally and beyond. Throughout my career I have been fortunate to partner with three extraordinary artistic directors, and one of the things I love most about these collaborations is the opportunity to empower creative artists to do their very best work. I look forward to partnering with BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons, the brilliant players, the dedicated staff, and the Board of Trustees to keep building on one of the most storied legacies in music.
"All of us at the Boston Symphony Orchestra-musicians, staff, and board of trustees and advisors-warmly welcome Chad Smith to the BSO family this fall as President and CEO,” said Andris Nelsons, the Ray and Maria Stata Music Director. Smith and Nelsons will lead an impressive artistic team at the BSO, additionally comprised of Keith Lockhart, the Julian and Eunice Cohen Boston Pops Conductor, Seiji Ozawa, Music Director Laureate, John Williams, the George and Roberta Berry Boston Pops Conductor Laureate, Thomas Wilkins, the BSO Artistic Advisor, Education and Community Engagement and Germeshausen BSO Youth and Family Concerts Conductor, and James Burton, the BSO Choral Director and Conductor of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.
Andris Nelsons, Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Other Notable Chad Smiths
It is important to note that there are other notable individuals named Chad Smith, including:
- Chad Dennis Smith: An American former professional baseball pitcher. Smith was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 17th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft. On June 18, 2014, Smith was called up by the Detroit Tigers. The Athletics traded Smith to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for cash considerations on May 8, 2015. Smith was released by the Angels on June 6. Smith re-signed with the Rangers on a new a minor league contract in December 2015.
- Chad Vincent Smith: A football player who played college football at Clemson University. He completed his career in 2019 credited with 154 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, an interception, a pass breakup, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 863 snaps over 58 games (14 starts) in his career.
Summary of Key Roles and Achievements
Below is a summary of Chad Smith Sr.'s key roles and achievements in the arts and music sector:
| Position | Organization | Years | Key Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executive Officer | Los Angeles Philharmonic | 2019-Present | Oversaw large-scale operations, launched YOLA program, initiated LA Phil Humanities program |
| Chief Operating Officer | Los Angeles Philharmonic | 2015-2019 | Managed artistic programming, marketing, and orchestra operations |
| Vice President of Artistic Planning | Los Angeles Philharmonic | 2006-2015 | Planned Green Umbrella new music series and classical programming at the Hollywood Bowl |
| President and CEO | Boston Symphony Orchestra | Starting Fall 2023 | To sustain the BSO’s international reputation for orchestral excellence and establishing a premier slate of programming initiatives |
Chad Smith's journey from baseball to a leadership role in the music world showcases his adaptability, vision, and commitment to fostering arts and culture. His work with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and his upcoming role with the Boston Symphony Orchestra highlight his dedication to promoting music and engaging communities.
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