Composer and conductor Dwayne Smith has a comprehensive background, beginning his performing career as a flutist and saxophonist in symphonic wind ensembles, jazz bands, early music ensembles and rock bands. He won several awards for jazz improvisation, including being chosen as first tenor saxophonist for the California All Star High School Jazz Band in 1973 and 1974, performing at the Monterey Jazz Festival. Dwayne was also commissioned by his high school to compose and conduct the processional for high school graduation.

Mr. Smith attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in composition, and a Master of Music degree in both composition and conducting. He has studied composition with John Adams, Andrew Imbrie, Ingram Marshall, Elinor Armer and Terry Riley (at Mills College). His conducting studies were with John Adams, Michael Senturia and David Ramadanoff. Mr. Smith received significant scholarships from the San Francisco Conservatory, Mills College, and the Jackie Robinson Foundation (the Billy Taylor Music Merit Scholarship). As John Adams' assistant with the Conservatory's New Music Ensemble, Mr. Smith has had the opportunity to work with and perform works of Gordon Mumma, Joan LaBarbara, David Del Tredici, and many others. He has also attended the Composer-to-Composer symposium in Telluride, Colorado and the Carnegie Hall Professional Training Workshop with Pierre Boulez and the Ensemble Intercontemporain.

Mr. Smith has conducted numerous première performances, and has conducted live radio broadcasts in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Los Angeles area. He has conducted for the Pacific Composers Forum, and is currently the conductor of the Afro-American Chamber Music Society Orchestra, for whom he has recently also been named Composer-in-Residence. Mr. Smith's compositions have been performed in the Los Angeles area, the San Francisco Bay Area and New York.