On May 15, 2017, Brian K. Smith, defended his thesis titled Afro-Mestizo Music of Mexico, a translation from Spanish into English of La música afromestiza mexicana by Rolando Pérez Fernández.
The Thesis Committee, formed by Robert Dupey Ph. D., César Solá-García Ph. D., and thesis advisor David Auerbach Ph. D., awarded his thesis the grade notable.