Donald Hustad

Donald Paul Hustad (October 2, 1918 – June 22, 2013) was a recognized leader in evangelical church music for six decades. Although he was an esteemed musician, composer, and teacher, Hustad’s richest legacy resides in his informed criticism of evangelical church music and his well-developed philosophy of worship communicated through lectures, articles, and books.

Born to Peter and Clara Hustad on October 2, 1918, in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, Hustad was a toddler when his father was killed in a hunting accident. Clara moved with her two sons to Boone, Iowa, where they lived in a church-related institution for indigent people. While the extremely conservative religious environment was repressive, the institution provided Hustad with unique music and work opportunities. His formal music training began with piano lessons at the age of four, and at eight years of age, he was playing gospel hymns in public worship and providing improvised accompaniments for the institution’s Christian radio station. By the end of grade school he had also learned Beethoven’s "Pathetique" Sonata, Opus 13, and Liszt’s transcription of the second Hungarian Rhapsody.

Early in his career, Hustad married Ruth McKeag. The pair have several children. Hustad credits Ruth with supporting his career, and recognizes that she has devoted her life to her husband and children. Ruth's roles as secretary and research assistant have also been significant, aiding Hustad in his writing and composition projects.

The basic tenets of Hustad’s Christian faith were established while he was a child and later enriched by theological study. During his youth, he enjoyed listening to lawyers defend their cases at the local courthouse, and he developed an admiration for logic and debate. His later desire to construct a philosophy of church music that could withstand the rigors of liturgical and musicological debate stemmed from both his theological study and his interest in logical discourse. Hustad’s life was woven from these varied strands—a fragmented family unit, a conservative theological atmosphere, diverse musical styles, and learning opportunities afford by school, church, and local courtroom.

Hustad’s musical skills provided the financial support needed during his undergraduate education at John Fletcher College near Oskaloosa, Iowa. In addition to directing the college band and leading a male quartet, he taught himself basic organ technique and became organist at First Methodist Church in Oskaloosa during his last year of school. After graduation in 1940, he moved to the Chicago area, where he was employed as a church organist and continued studies in piano and organ.

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