Sean MacRae Smith is a composer, performer, and educator based in San Diego, CA. He holds a BA in Music from Pomona College, where he studied composition with Tom Flaherty. His modest compositional oeuvre is rather aesthetically unfocused and alarmingly tonal, but could perhaps also be described as fiendishly quirky and rhythmically playful. First trained in vocal jazz before meandering into the classical realm, Sean’s compositions likewise tend to nestle uncomfortably between styles and conventions, drawing upon French neoclassicism, Afroamerican gospel, video game OSTs, the avant-garde, and more.
Sean MacRae Smith (b. 1998) is a musician based in San Diego, CA. He holds a BA in Music from Pomona College, where he studied composition with Tom Flaherty. A section leader with First UMC of San Diego as well as the San Diego Symphony Chorus, Sean can also be found singing with Sacra/Profana, or sheepishly ducking in and out of jam sessions around town. His modest compositional oeuvre is rather aesthetically unfocused and alarmingly tonal, but could perhaps also be described as fiendishly quirky and rhythmically playful. Audiences have praised his music as “delicious,” “the good sh*t,” and “actually interesting when I listened to it a second time.” First trained in vocal jazz before meandering into the classical realm, Sean’s compositions likewise tend to nestle uncomfortably between styles and conventions, drawing upon French neoclassicism, Afroamerican gospel, video game OSTs, the avant-garde, and more. His works have been performed by professional choirs (Sacra/Profana, Choral Arts Initiative) and a variety of collegiate, K-12, and church ensembles. He is also a passionate music educator, and when neither singing nor composing yet still beholden to the loathsome financial demands of his landlord, can be found giving private voice and piano lessons.
Sean MacRae Smith is a musician based in San Diego, CA. He holds a BA in Music from Pomona College, and has extensive experience as both a chorister and soloist in a breadth of styles. Sean is a section leader with First UMC of San Diego as well as the San Diego Symphony Festival Chorus. He can also be found singing with Sacra/Profana, substituting frequently at Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, and providing music for weddings, memorials, and other special events. Recent solo engagements include Giuseppe Verdi's Reqiuem and G.F. Handel's Messiah (First UMC). Additionally, Sean is both a composer and educator, providing private voice and piano lessons to students of all ages, with an emphasis on theory fundamentals and stylistically diverse repertoire.
(find it on the Lessons page)
© 2025 Sean MacRae Smith
