SCHARDT, RONALD F. (b. 1937)

 

Ronald F. Schardt was born February 18, 1937 in Longview, Texas to the musical family of Arthur Schardt, a Lutheran pastor and Martha Riggert, pianist, and his two sisters. Beth Anne and Karen Estelle began their musical life taking piano lessons. In the fifth grade, having already developed a very good ear for pitch and tone, he began to study the trombone. This instrument caught his interest and he continued playing it through college and in various groups from jazz band, marching band, concert band and symphony orchestra. 

 

Ronald loved to sing and participated in church and school choirs from childhood through college. The directors of those bands, choirs, and symphony orchestra were very influential on his development. After a 35 year hiatus from playing the trombone while he served as an overseas missionary, he returned to Dubuque, Iowa, in 1992 and started playing again. He is a member of tne Loras College Band, the Americana Band, the Tri-State Wind Symphony (each summer), and is in charge of a small brass ensemble at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Dubuque. He also sings in the  choir and has even served as interim director for a short time.