Herb Smith is a music educator at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), instructing multiple Jazz ensembles, while also being a professional Jazz and Classical trumpet player in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), and in the Rochester area. The pandemic has completely changed Herb's focus on performing. Since the pandemic started, Herb had upgraded his technology at home, saying "I have begun to write more music for my brass quintet... and have boosted my skill level on production on music recording software.”
When asked about how worried he is about catching the coronavirus, Herb responded, "I am not a worrier... I am a very spiritual person and until now the Universe, God, Energy, whatever you would like to call it has kept me from quite a few close calls… I take all the necessary precautions to keep me, my family, and students healthy and safe.”
Black Lives Matter activists march with Free the People Rochester and University of Rochester Abolition Coalition to protest Strong Memorial Hospital on September 27, 2020, after releasing Daniel Prude prematurely in March. The Prude family attempted to get psychiatric care for Daniel Prude, but the hospital released him early, only for Prude to be killed due to an encounter with the Rochester Police Department hours later.