Staff Bios — W.O. Smith Music School

Director of Donor & Media Relations

Anna Arata

Education: B.M. (emphasis Voice & Music Business), MSP in Public Service Management

Goes by: Ms. Anna

Anna Arata is an active jazz singer, bandleader, and educator in Nashville. She is originally from Framingham, MA, and moved to Nashville in 2012 to attend Belmont University and pursue a degree in Commercial Voice. Raised in a musical household, Anna's father performed regularly in Irish bands, while her mother encouraged her involvement in musical theater. Anna developed a strong affinity for jazz music upon moving to Nashville, forming a band during her early college years. Throughout and following her college education, she toured extensively across the Midwest and secured a prestigious singing residency at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island for two consecutive seasons.

In 2016, Anna transitioned to the non-profit sector, beginning her career as an Administrative Assistant at A-BOM Alliance, a science nonprofit dedicated to researching the biomarkers and outcome measures of Angelman Syndrome. Having set her eye on W.O. Smith back in 2012, she started volunteering at W.O. Smith in 2017 as a theory teacher and vocal instructor and was hired as the part-time administrator in 2018. In 2021, Anna was promoted to Director of Donor & Media Relations, concurrently embarking on her Master of Public Service Management at Cumberland University. She has since earned her MSP degree and currently directs two of three W.O. Smith choirs.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Anna enjoys rock climbing with her husband, Nick, engaging in artistic projects, and spending quality time with her dog, Ruby, and cat, Doro.

W.O. Smith-Specific Specialties: voice study, vocology, choral conducting/directing, music theory, arranging, curriculum development, Spanish language translation, web development, fundraising, social media, photography.

Executive Director

Dr. valerie Cordero

Education: Ph.D. (ethnomusicology)

Contact: valerie@wosmith.org

Valerie Cordero, Ph.D., is a singer, ethnomusicologist, and nonprofit leader. Valerie received her bachelor’s degree in music, with a concentration in vocal performance, from Spelman College. Valerie was introduced to the field of ethnomusicology—the study of music and culture—while at Spelman.

Having been awarded the Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship in ethnomusicology, Valerie attended UCLA where she obtained her master’s and Ph.D. degrees. Her area of specialty was the religious music of the African diaspora. Valerie first visited Cuba in 2004. Between 2004 and 2008, she spent over a year on the island studying Afro-Cuban influences in evangelical church music in western Cuba. Dartmouth College awarded her the Thurgood Marshall Dissertation Fellowship, which provided institutional support to help her finish writing her dissertation in 2009.

Valerie left higher education to pursue a career in the nonprofit sphere in 2010. She spent 15 years at Families for Depression Awareness (FFDA), where she ultimately served as Co-Executive Director. Valerie spearheaded fundraising and marketing initiatives at FFDA, while also working on a national level to promote accessible and culturally-sensitive mental health care. A well-known advocate, she was featured in such publications as Reader’s Digest, Better Homes & Gardens and New York Magazine’s The Cut.

Even as she worked in a different arena, music never left Valerie’s life. She moved to Nashville in 2012 and immediately connected to the music community. Valerie performed with the Latin music band, Yosvany Y Su Son Tropical, for several years. She also served on the board of directors of the Global Education Center from 2013-2019. It was a full circle moment when W.O. Smith Music School’s board of directors hired Valerie as executive director of the school in February 2025.

Valerie has taught music in higher education settings, presented at conferences both nationally and internationally, and published articles. In her personal time, she enjoys traveling with her family, reading novels and nonfiction books, and salsa dancing.

Music Row Magazine ED Announcement

W.O. Smith-Specific Specialties: ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS, FOUNDATION, CORPORATE, BOARD, COMMUNITY, AND DONOR RELATIONS, STRATEGIC PLANNING, PROGRAM OVERSIGHT, HUMAN RESOURCES, ACCOUNTING.

Program Director

Dr. Allyson McIntyre

Education: D.M.A., M.M, and B.M. in Composition (piano)

Goes by: Ms. Allyson

Contact: allyson@wosmith.org

Allyson McIntyre is fascinated with all things creative. She received her doctorate in music composition from the University of Georgia in 2011 with a focus on electroacoustic music exploration using the object-based computer programming software Max/MSP. She propelled her academic background into entrepreneurship and economic development, focusing on research, education, and planning for small businesses through Tennessee State University, before combining her passions and landing as the Program Director at the W. O. Smith Music School. Her background as a composer gives her a unique view of the world, likening the relationships and impacts of program development to the complex nuances of voicing and texture in an orchestral score.

In her free time, Allyson enjoys exploring Nashville and turning inspiring experiences into music and art.

W.O. Smith-Specific Specialties: composition, piano study, arranging, choral conducting/directing, music theory, curriculum development, schedule coordinating, Database configuration

Music Education Director

Jordan Morrison

Education: B.S. Music Education, M.M Percussion Performance

Goes by: Mr. Jordan

Contact: jordan@wosmith.org

Jordan Morrison is an active composer, arranger, educator, and performer. As an educator, he has taught in public schools, private schools, non-profit programs, and private studios. He has been a full-time staff member at W.O. Smith since 2016 and was a volunteer prior to that. He has taught a wide variety of music courses including Jazz Band, Marching Band, Steelband, Concert Band, Rock Band, Orchestra, Choir, General Music, World Music, Music Theory, Audio Production, Music Composition, and many more. Jordan has had the opportunity to serve by training and mentoring hundreds of teachers and thousands of students throughout his career. He has been a featured educator/clinician for Berklee’s City Music Summit and Ohio Music Education Association Conference. As a composer and performer, Jordan has enjoyed a wide array of wonderful and strange opportunities. These range from a stadium performance for a bowling conference to composing the music for two seasons of a live soap opera, performing in a giant outdoor tent for a Motorcyclist Revival, and leading a virtual drum circle for people with cochlear implants.

Professionally, Jordan spends most of his time teaching, training, mentoring, composing, arranging, and recording. Personally, he loves spending time with his family, camping, gardening, hiking, and being mediocre at tons of hobbies.

W.O. Smith-Specific Specialties: Music Education, Music Technology/Production, Audio Engineering, composition, arranging, Teacher/Student Mentoring, Curriculum Design, Program Design, Summer Camps Director, Facilities Manager, Community Partnerships

Administrative Assistant

Bek Schmidt

Education: B.A. in Music, Music Business

Goes by: Bek

Contact: bek@wosmith.org

Bek Schmidt is a graduate of Murray State University in Murray, KY with a BA in Music with a Music Business concentration and Spanish minor. They are a trumpet player who was born and raised in Memphis and moved to Nashville in 2025 when they started part-time at W. O. Smith Music School. As a trumpet player, they have performed in a variety of ensembles including wind ensembles, jazz bands, jazz combos, brass quintets, trumpet ensembles, and pit orchestras. They have performed at the Kentucky Music Educators Association as part of the Intercollegiate Jazz Band and as part of the Murray State Wind Ensemble for the world premiere of Wildflowers by Leslie Gilreath. They have also performed at the National Trumpet Competition in the Undergraduate Solo, College Small Ensemble, College Large Ensemble, and High School Solo divisions. In addition, they were a finalist in the 2024 Murray State Concerto Competition and performed as a soloist with the Murray State Jazz Orchestra.

Outside of performing, Bek has interned as a Music Operations Apprentice with the Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, NY for the 2024 season and as an Administrative Assistant for the Memphis Youth Symphony Program in 2023. In the future, Bek hopes to continue to work with nonprofit youth performing art organizations to continue to alleviate the financial barriers to entry into the music industry.

When not practicing or feeling guilty about not practicing, Bek enjoys true crime podcasts, roller skating, and playing with their two tuxedo cats, Batman and Stein.