WELCOME

Dr. Michael Francis Smith is a composer, songwriter, author, and nationally recognized music educator whose life’s work centers on engaging every person—students, communities, and congregations alike—in joyful, expressive music-making. His work is grounded in the belief that musical literacy is far more than reading notes on a page: real literacy begins and grows through singing, playing, exploring, and experiencing music together.

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Michael is the creator of It’s Time to Play, a groundbreaking series for beginning band, strings, and recorder (with ukulele on the way). These resources combine singing, playing by ear, improvisation, and musical expression so that learners experience music as something they belong to—not something reserved for a few. His complementary framework, Eleven Leaps to Literacy, guides teachers in moving students from sound to symbol in developmentally natural and empowering ways.

 

For more than thirty years, Michael has taught thousands of students in classrooms, ensembles, community bands, and choirs. He is known for approaches that remove barriers, inspire imagination, and keep learners singing, playing, and participating in music throughout their lives. As a sought-after clinician and presenter, he shares this work with educators nationwide through conferences, workshops, and keynotes.

 

Alongside his work in education, Michael has served for more than a decade in church music ministry, continuing his commitment to community singing. He believes that when congregations lift their voices together, they not only offer praise but also tell the story of who God is and who we are—people created for connection with God and with one another.

 

Whether in a school classroom or ensemble, a community band, or a sanctuary, Michael’s mission is clear: to invite every person and every voice into the joy of singing, playing instruments, and making music together.