by Ann Major

Created on: April 17, 2008   Last Updated: January 13, 2012

Ron MacKay was a music teacher who wore many hats. Upon his passing on Monday, April 14th, 2008, he was lauded by the Truro Daily News as "Truro's Own Music Man"; Pied Piper; and Father Goose to several generations of music makers. Besides raising a family of five musically gifted children; he nurtured and lead a dynasty of students to spread the gospel word about music. He should go down in the Guinness Book of Records as inspiring the most young people to make career choices in the music industry; such was the love that he inspired and exemplified. In the theme of "To Sir With Love", I make this tribute to our beloved friend, teacher, and mentor, ron MacKay.

Ron has been called the "architect of Truro Schools' band programs". Coming from a performance background and having been in the armed forces before becoming a teacher; Ron was never without ideas about improving performances, making concerts outstanding and exciting, for both players and audience. He had such a network of resources, he took his students out of the classroom into the communities, and brought the community back to the classroom. Since two of my band friends and I were Ron MacKay groupies, we would hang out in the music room after school to talk with him; ask questions. Often he would run some ideas past us regarding future band concerts and guest performers. He treated us as equals and spoke to us like adults. We adored him.

As Ron was an "inspiration to a great many people", obviously, I was one of those students whom he inspired to go on to music education. I chose to go to a university in Ontario because on one of our many band trips, I got to see the University of Western Ontario first hand, and fell in love with the campus. On one of my trips back to Nova Scotia from University, I would encounter Ron on the plane. He was "an ambassador of band music", always lecturing and spreading the word, from East to the West. We would sit together, and I would ask for help with my counterpoint assignment from school. When he it explained it, it became a lot simpler. He was a consummate teacher and always taught with enthusiasm.

When I became a fledgling music teacher, I would again encounter Ron at one of the music conventions and ask for his help. He became my mentor as he advised me on how to make a band program successful and address some of the problems I was having in my first years of teaching. Later on, I would have the joy, pride and pleasure to listen to the CEC Jazz

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