Smith, Irene Britton

Irene Britton Smith (1907-1999) was born and educated in Chicago. Though professionaly she taught reading in the Chicago Public schools for forty years, during her summer vacations, she studied music, receiving a B. Mus. from the American Conservatory in 1946 and a M. Mus. from DePaul University in 1956. She also studied composition at Juilliard, at Tanglewood, and with Nadia Boulanger at the American Conservatory in Fontainebleau, France. Smith played violin, piano, and organ, and she served as a church musician. She was also active as a docent for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's youth concerts after her retirement from teaching. Smith wrote music for orchestra, solo violin, and piano, as well as choral works, spiritual arrangements, and art songs.