PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS
NOTE: Accomplishments that are just added are all in boldface type.
April 15, 2017 - Charles performed in a 40 minute piano recital at the Chicago Cultural Center, breaking a 10 year hiatus of performing there in the past. Charles and Lynn West were co-emcees and one of the CD-R copies of Volume 1 of Charles' autobiography has been sold.
April 12 - Charles Smith appeared in still another interview for Autism Awareness Month by a small group of students from Robert Morris College.
April 11, 2017 - Charles appeared as a debut guest of the CRIS radio show in care of The Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind in a special interview on honor of his accomplishments during Autism Awareness month.
April 5, 2017 - Charles appeared in his second postdoctoral recital at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, at the Auditorium of the Music Building, performing both original and borrowed compositions, with the help of Linda Tortorelli, director of autism programs at the University. Before the recital, he was interviewed by the crew of the FOX Channel 55 TV station at the recital site. Lynn West also accompanied him on the trip and Charles got a $500 stipend for travel expenses.
February 12, 2017 - Participated in a performance art/interdisciplinary presentation with Carrie Biolo, Maria Formulo, and Jeff Kowalkowski of Olo at the Prop Thtr (which is the first ever guest collaboration with Carrie Biolo)
February 9, 2017 - Reached 327 page follows on the Facebook site.
February 5, 2017 - Charles Smith appeared in his major debut with members of the Participatory Music Coalition creative improvisation ensemble at the DIY venue, F4F (Femme For Femme), as part of the Second Street Rear--An Annual Festival of Art in Alternative Spaces. .
February 4, 2017 - Charles Smith appeared in "Daliy Routines" doing an Butoh-dance-driven interdisciplinary presentation paying homage to narcolepsy, at the DIY venue, Pinky Swear, as part of the Second Street Rear--An Annual Festival of Art in Alternative Spaces.
January 29, 2017 - Charles performed his own transcription of the F minor Fantasy for Two Pianos, arranged for piano solo, in the "Schubertiade 2017" Festival at Pianoforte Chicago, and for the first time, performed it while being simulcast on WFMT radio which broadcasted the event.
December 19, 2016 - Charles Smith performed in a live concert as an accompanist
with baritone, Keanon Kyles, at The Admiral at the Lake Senior Facility on the north side of Chicago.
December 18, 2016 - Charles Smith performed in a live concert as an accompanist with baritone, Keanon Kyles, at the Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church.
December 18, 2016 - Charles Smith performed as an accompanist and a keyboardist with the Chicago Community Orchestra, the Sanctuary Choir, and conductor Delano O'Banion in Handel's "Messiah" at Hartzell UM Church.
October 17, 2016 - Charles Smith publishes a new text version of the detailed steps of the famous 1990s line dance called The Wobble on the Charles' Dance World website from Google.
October 9, 2016 - Charles Smith performed 2 original and 2 borrowed piano compositions at Wentz Recital Hall in Naperville, IL, in his debut appearance, as part of the program "Documenting Hope", curated by Tamara Astacio, Lynn West, and Ferestheh Azad.
September 25, 2016 - Charles and Lynn were there at a benefit fundraiser for Aspiritech in Highwood, at the 210 Lounge and Restaurant. They even cut a rug on the dance floor with the Not for Profit Band.
September 1, 2016 - Charles decides that the autobiography of his life is going to be a three volume set, but he will still include events related to his struggles and conquerings of his ASD.
July 2016 - Charles and Lynn danced up a storm at Chicago's Summerdance with a live swing music ensemble at the Spirit of Music Garden in downtown Chicago.
June 17, 2016 - Charles Smith delivered two events at the Abbott House and at Christ Church (both at Highland Park), involving a short recital and a reading of a few passages from his autobiography, "I am Dr. Charles Joseph Smith: The Musician and Dancer Who Tamed The Autism Beast. One of the audience members in the concert was the executive director of Aspiritech
June 12, 2016 - Charles Smith performed with Bridget Bancroft with their first dance teaching excursion with the live band, El Is The Sound of Joy, at Calumet Park in Chicago, IL, with help of the Chicago Park District.
June 3, 2016 - Lynn and Charles attended the Gypsy Moon Project Performance of Aimee Bass and Lalia Lee at Madame Zuzu's in Ravinia, IL, and promoted our prerelease of Charles Joseph Smith's biography with Charles Smith doing a few original piano pieces.
June 1, 2016 - Charles held his first own book sale at the Black Couch in Chicago, IL, and some of his unwanted books were sold for $1 each.
May 20, 2016 - Charles Smith performed in a piano recital for the Commonwealth Community Church at a fundraiser at Kroc Community Center in Chicago, IL.
May 14, 2016 - Lynn West and Charles Smith attended the AutismOne conference, making their debut attending a major conference related to ASD. They met up with some heavy hitters in the field, including Tamara Astacio, who works for the Institute for the Institute for Integrated Nutrition, and author, Dr. Anne Evans.
May 2016 - Reached 325 likes on our Facebook Page.
April 10, 2016 - Charles Smith did a book reading of several short passages on his upcoming autobiography, "I am Charles Joseph Smith", at the "Tenderness" Salon hosted by Ruth Oppenheim-Rothschild.
September 30, 2015 - Charles performed two original compositions at Dave Gecic's poetry night at the Gallery Cabaret, in Chicago, IL.
May 4, 2015 - The second logo for Celebration of Joy Inc. is made by Charles Joseph Smith.
October 30, 2014 - Lynn West and Charles Smith did a variety of dances together to try to promote their idea of their joy of dancing and dance instruction at the "PLAT/FORMS Reception: Designers and Makers" Opening Reception at the Arts Incubator in the East Garfield Park neighborhood. Dances covered included Chicago step, hustle, swing, blues dance, Lynn West also played some games with several children who attended there as guests.
July 30, 2014 - Lynn West appeared as a featured guest in an Open Mic night at the Gallery Cabaret, doing some poetry, singing, and a bit of performance art in between. I also participated by playing a few classical piano selections.
July 28, 2014 - 220 likes on the Celebration of Joy Inc. Facebook website.
June 8 - Lynn West and Charles Smith became "front-and-center" featured dancers during the Libido Funk Circus band gig at Castaways on North Avenue Beach (Chicago, IL).
May 7, 2014 - Lynn West sang at the Open Mic at the Serbian Village in Chicago, and expanded several potential backers for Celebration of Joy Inc.
April 2014 - Celebration of Joy Fan Page is launched on Facebook.
April 2014 - Celebration of Joy Website is launched on Google.
February 6, 2014 - Charles Joseph Smith and Lynn West were models, along with 25-30 other models--some with ASD and/or other developmental disabilities, at the "Lights, Camera, Action" Fashion Extravanganza, in Broadview, IL, and sponsored by The Answer Inc. (an autism awareness agency).
September 9, 2012 - Lynn West and I were important features at the Love Shine Festival for Autism at the Multikulti Chicago venue, curated by Martha Kruppa, the Love Shine Festival 2012 curator.
June 26, 2012 - Charles was featured in a live interview with Jason Page, a communications technology consultant at Multikulti Chicago, that involved a mixture of my dancing and musical talents. The link is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnZ4Gw9bI5s
January 4, 2009 - Charles was featured in "The Joy Pianist", by videographer, Kate Irene Hathaway, a University of Illinois alumna from Champaign-Urbana, for her media project called "The Joy Pianist", which features me as a happy musician who likes all kinds of music. The link is:
http://hathawaysmusic.blogspot.com/2009/01/joy-pianist_04.html
April 15, 2007 - Charles was featured in a News-Gazette newspaper article featuring a columnist from Champaign-Urbana, Christine des Garennes. The article featured more of my accomplishments as an amazing guy who grew up with ASD. The link is:
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2007-04-15/im-very-lively-renaissance-man.html
NOTE: You need to complete one of the surveys on the News-Gazette before you read the entire article.