Ron Klusmeier
Ron lives on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. He has worked in music and arts as a full-time ministry since 1971 as a composer, editor, arranger, accompanist and choir director.
As a composer, Ron has collaborated with authors Walter Farquharson (Canada), Ruth Duck (U.S.A.), Fred Kaan (England), Brian Wren (U.S.A.), Shirley Erena Murray (New Zealand), Sheelah Megill (Canada), Lorne Robson (Canada), and John Oldham (Canada). He has hundreds of selections published worldwide.
VOICES UNITED, the hymn book of the United Church of Canada, contains more hymn tune compositions by Ron than by any other contributor. MORE VOICES, a supplement to Voices United, includes yet more of Ron’s hymn tunes. In addition, his compositions are featured in Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic hymnals in Canada as well as many denominational hymnals in the U.S. and beyond.
Ron served the Head Office of the United Church of Canada as National Music Ambassador and simultaneously directed music & arts programmes in two Mississauga, Ontario churches (Erindale United Church and St. Martin’s Roman Catholic Parish). He has also served in music leadership positions at St. David’s United Church (Calgary, Alberta); Glebe-St. James United Church (Ottawa, Ontario); Central Presbyterian Church (Cambridge, Ontario), Knox United Church (Parksville, BC), St. Anne & St. Edmund’s Anglican Parish (Parksville, BC) and St. Mark’s Anglican Parish (Qualicum Beach, BC).
Ron has provided freelance broadcast services as musician, writer, composer, and worship leader for the Religious Department of CBC Television, Prairie Regional Broadcasting Service and Alberta Interfaith. He was a contract consultant for Religious Music and Arts for three years with the Alberta Government Department of Cultural Affairs.
At the May 4, 2002 Convocation of St. Andrew’s College, Saskatoon, Ron was the recipient of an Honourary Doctor of Divinity Degree in recognition of his ministry and contributions to the worship life of the church.
Since 2012, Ron and his partner, Christina, have worked closely with Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Using Ron’s music to raise funds and awareness to benefit the planet’s hungry has been a career highlight. As a result of this partnership and with generous matching financial support from the Government of Canada, over $1,400,000 has been contributed to help alleviate global hunger. Working trips to Ethiopia in East Africa, Sierra Leone in West Africa and Burkina Faso in the sub-Sahara have provided deeply moving opportunities to experience firsthand the work of Canadian Foodgrains Bank in developing nations.
After returning from Africa in 2014, Ron & Christina were privileged to travel to New Zealand to meet Shirley Erena Murray and her husband, John, in person for the first time. After many years of Shirley and Ron’s email collaborations, this precious time together was a true highlight for all four.
Ron currently serves as Music Director at Salt Spring Island United Church (Ganges, BC).