The Hampton University community mourns the death of Mr. Barney E. Smart, who
departed this life on the afternoon of Friday, July 2, 2004 at Sentara CarePlex Hospital in Hampton, Virginia. A memorial
service will be held Friday, July 9 at 1 p.m. at University Chapel on the campus of HU.
He earned a Bachelor’s degree from Alabama State University
and the Masters of Music from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. At Alabama State he served as a Student Assistant in
the Music Department and was president of the band his senior year. At Michigan, he was the president of the Black Music Student
Association and was the first recipient of the Belinda Harris Music Scholarship for the university’s outstanding minority
music student.
Smart spent 14 years at Hampton University where he helped turn
"The Force" into one of the most well respected marching bands in college football. He founded the Symphonic Winds Ensemble
in 1991, and established a high school band camp and directors clinic. In 1996, Smart became the first African American and
native Alabamian to Adjudicate the state band festival in Alabama. He became a member of the Board of Directors of the Intercollegiate
Music Association (IMA) and was elected as Vice President in 1999 before serving his term as President beginning in May of
2000.
Prior to coming to Hampton, Smart’s collegiate experiences
included being Director of Bands at Alabama A&M University and the Conductor of the University of Michigan-Dearborn Wind
Ensemble. While at Alabama A&M, he was selected twice as the College Band Director of the Year by the Birmingham Grid
Forecasters.
Some of Smart’s most notable performances include performing
for United States Presidents Richard Nixon and George Bush. He has been a Guest Conductor with the University of Michigan
Symphony Band, the Cleveland State University Wind Ensemble, The Intercollegiate Music Association Symphonic Band, the Omaha
Nebraska All-City High School Band and the Hampton All-City Concert Band. In addition, the HU Symphonic Winds performed to
a standing ovation at the Black Music Caucus in Nashville, Tennessee in 1993. The Hampton University marching band, "The Force,"
has given stellar performances in New York, Detroit, Jacksonville, Baton Rouge and Boise, Idaho. National television networks
BET, TNT, HTS and ESPN have broadcasted performances by Mr. Smart and his band.
Mr. Smart is survived by his wife Mrs. Mary Ann Smart and two sons,
Barney II and Tory Franklyn.
