Ronald Raymond MacKay September 26th, 1928 - April 14th, 2008

Taken from the Memorial Program for Ron.

Ron MacKay received his formal music education at the Canadian Armed Forces School of Music, St. Francis Xavier University, and Dalhousie University.

Beginning music instruction at age 10 with the Dunnville Boys Band, Ron joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1946, first as a cook, then serving for 20 years in the Armed Forces Band as a French horn player, band master and instructor.

His professional career as an instrumentalist encompassed a variety of additional organizations, including the Halifax Opera Company, Halifax Symphonette, CBC Orchestra, Halifax Symphony Orchestra, and the Victoria Symphony Orchestra.

Ron retired from the Armed Forces Band in 1966 and began a career in music education as an instrumental music teacher in Truro. As director of the Cobequid Educational Centre Symphonic Band and its feeder programs from grades 4 through 12. He developed one of the more prominent school bands in the Atlantic Provinces. During his tenure as Band Director in Truro, over 300 students went on to pursue careers in music.

Since his retirement from teaching in Truro in 1991, Ron has been very active as a clinician, adjudicator, conductor and composer throughout Canada and the Atlantic Provinces. Ron is Past-President of both the N. S. Band Association and the Canadian Band Association.

Semi-retired until this last year, his 80th year, R on was very active as a composer, arranger, conductor, clinician, and adjudicator up to the early fall of 2007. He received the "Music For Life" Award and attended a tribute weekend at the Gaelic College, hosted by the Second Wind Community Band of Cape Breton and his fellow Maritime community band members. Later in December 2007, he received the honour o f being presented the Roger Taylor Medal from the Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Myann Francis in Windsor, Nova Scotia.

Ron MacKay Memorial Donations

Donations in memory of Ron may be made to the Ron MacKay 'Music for Life' Award. Please make checks payable to: NSBA Ron MacKay Award and forward to:

NSBA - Ron MacKay Award
c/o Kay Greene, Treasurer
3438 Hwy 215
Centre Burlington
Hants Co., NS
B0N 1E0

Receipts will be issued, but the NSBA cannot issue tax receipts as it is not a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency.

Ron MacKay 'Music for Life' Award

Ron MacKay was a respected performer, educator, writer, arranger, and friend to musicians of all ages and levels of experience. Beginning his music education at age ten and still active until he passed away at age seventy-nine, Ron made a life-long commitment to making music and sharing his gifts with others. The Ron MacKay ‘Music for Life’ Award is a celebration of his love and commitment to music.

In the fall of 2007, Laura Mercer organized a fall community band festival to celebrate Ron MacKay’s 80th year. Out of this event grew a desire to honour Ron and his work with community bands. This led to the development of the Ron MacKay ‘Music for Life’ Award!

At a committee meeting in January 2008, those present said they participate in community bands for their soul, for the enrichment it brings to their lives, for their love of music, for their continued growth as musicians, for the different dimension it brings to life, for the sense of teamwork, and the togetherness - a sense of community, and the positive challenge it presents.

Through this annual Award we recognize and support community bands and foster the ongoing pursuit of ‘Music for Life’ in Ron’s name.

See the attached Ron MacKay 'Music for Life' Award and Application Form PDFs for more information.

Applications have closed for 2008.

Ron MacKay's Musical Chair

Ron MacKay’s Musical Chair may be awarded at any Nova Scotia Band Association sanctioned community band event.

The award is open to all participants who have paid tuition. One name will be drawn from the eligible participants and this award recipient will receive a tuition refund.

The award recipient will be announced at the event and on the Nova Scotia Band Association website.

Ron Links and Information

Ron Remembered: A Musical Memory to Ron MacKay

Obituary from The Chronicle Herald
Kenny MacKay - 'The show must go on'
Truro mourns the loss of its 'Music Man'
MacKay fondly remembered as finest school band teacher
Laura Mercer's eulogy from Ron's Memorial Service
Ken Foote's eulogy from Ron's Memorial Service

Ron MacKay's Binder

Ron MacKay Tribute - October 2007

Ron's interview with CBC broadcaster Wendy Bergfeldt. Excuse the quality as it was recorded from a broadcast over the internet. This is approximately an 18mb file - a 19 minute interview.

These photographs were taken at the Ron MacKay tribute hosted by the Second Wind Community Band in October 2007.