Paul Renard

Mr. Paul S. Renard
Music Teacher

Augusta, GA – Mr. Paul S. Renard died on Friday, September 24, 2010, at UniHealth of Old Capitol nursing home in Louisville, Georgia of advanced dementia at age 76.

Mr. Renard was born in New York City in 1934. He was musically educated at the Miami Conservatory in Florida. He was also trained at the School of American Music, the Ida Elkan School of Music in Carnegie Hall, and studied acting at the Betty Cashman Drama School, all in New York City. Author, musician, composer, recording artist, actor, and performer, Mr. Renard’s accomplishments and experiences were unusual and varied. An organist for the nationwide broadcasting networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, and MUTUAL), he played radio and TV daytime serials for over 12 years and was a major theatre pipe organist in the top theatres in New York City for many years.

Mr. Renard was a music arranger and writer of original material for night club star, “The Incomparable Hildegarde.” For many years he played twin pianos in the toney East Side clubs in New York City and also played solo piano in the best clubs in New York City and around the world. He had been piano and organ accompanist for many star performers including Hildegarde, Ray and Bob Eberle, the Demarco Sisters, Dick Todd, and the international dance team of Estelle and Leroy of the Ed Sullivan TV show. He also worked with and wrote arrangements for the organist, Ethel Smith. As a teacher of acting and a dialect and trick voice specialist, he trained many people for commercials, theatre, TV and film acting in Chicago and New York City. An author with 100 music instruction books, a recording artist with 32 albums, and a columnist at-large for two major music magazines for over 12 years, Mr. Renard had over 300 published articles to his credit. As staff organist for the Hammond Organ Company, he presented hundreds of concerts in all parts of the United States, Canada, and Europe. He also conducted many teacher training clinics for musical instrument manufacturers, music publishers, and associations. He was co-inventor with Howard Holman (formerly of Hallicrafters Electronics) of the electric piano which was developed at the Wurlitzer Company in Chicago. For many years Mr. Renard maintained a teaching studio in Chicago called Paul Renard’s Music Dynamics where he taught musical sight-reading to pianists, organists, and singers. He also trained hundreds of aspiring and established studio musicians to read music at sight.

In 2007 Mr. Renard retired to Augusta. Due to failing health, he was unable to continue teaching and had to give up music entirely. Mr. Renard was predeceased by his parents, Elsie and Joseph Feldhun. He is survived by a sister, Helene Conyer of New Jersey and a long-time companion, Dr. Robert Leftwich of Aiken, South Carolina. Visitation is scheduled for Sunday, September 26, 2010 starting at 6:00 P.M. lasting until 8:00 P.M. at Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Home. Services will be held cryptside on Monday, September 27, 2010, 11:00 A.M. at Westover Memorial Park 2601 Wheeler Road, Augusta, Georgia 30904. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hill Baptist Church, 2165 Kings Way, Augusta, Georgia 30904. Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Road, Augusta, Georgia 30907. Please sign the guestbook at www.thomaspoteet.com .