International Federation for Choral Music

Dr. Ron Smart: a life devoted to choral music (Obituary from the Australian National Choral Association)

The Australian National Choral Association was very sad to hear of the passing of Dr Ron Smart, PSM OAM. ANCA sends its deepest condolences to Ron’s wife, Janette, and to Ron’s family, friends, colleagues, students, and the countless musicians whose lives he touched.
 
Dr Ron Smart was a significant and quietly influential figure in the development of choral music in Australia. Ron was the first President of ANCA and was later awarded Life Membership along with his wife, Janette. His work as a conductor, educator and adjudicator, together with his commitment to supporting young musicians, left a lasting mark on Australian musical life.
 
Ron’s musical life began as a trombonist, including a period performing with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. His career subsequently extended well beyond performance into music education, administration and the development of major national and international initiatives. 
 
In the late 1980s, Ron organised the Pan Pacific Music Camps at Collaroy, bringing together young musicians from across Australia. These camps provided an important meeting place for emerging singers and musicians and ultimately helped give rise to the National Youth Choir of Australia, which continues today. Through initiatives such as these, Ron demonstrated a particular gift for bringing people together and creating pathways for the next generation.
 
Among his most significant achievements was his role in bringing the 1996 World Symposium on Choral Music to Sydney. This was a major event for Australian choral music, bringing the international choral community to Australia and leaving a lasting legacy. Many who attended still remember the Sydney symposium as a landmark occasion, and the International Federation for Choral Music has recognised Ron’s enormous contribution to both the symposium and the Federation itself.
 
What emerges most clearly from the recollections of those who knew him is a picture of a man who built things that lasted. He brought people together, opened doors for young musicians, and strengthened connections between Australian choral music and the wider international community. Much of what he achieved was not about personal recognition, but about making something possible for others.
 
The National Youth Choir and the legacy of the 1994 World Symposium are among the most visible reminders of Ron’s work, but his influence can also be found in the many musicians, educators and choral leaders who benefited from the opportunities he helped create. Ron Smart was awarded the Public Service Medal (PSM) in 1990 and the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2019.
 
Ron Smart deserves to be remembered not only for what he achieved himself, but for the possibilities he created for others. His was a life of quiet leadership, service and lasting contribution to Australia’s choral community.

Dr. Ron Smart presenting the World Symposium on Choral Music proposal to the International Federation for Choral Music Board in 1996