The choir will perform May 6 at Columbia High School along with the Elementary All-State Honor Choir, directed by Judith Willoughby of Temple University.

Pedas is known throughout the state for his work as an educator, choral director and musical theater director. Pedas was named a state “Master Music Teacher” by the N.J. Music Educators Association for his “dedicated service to the education of youth.”

He has conducted workshops for NJMEA, ACDA and the Richmond Choral Society. Pedas was chosen as the guest conductor for the Region II High School Chorus and was the manager of the ACDA All-Eastern High School Honor, which performed in Boston in 1992.

Pedas has taught award-winning choirs at both Linden High School and Cranford High School. Under his direction, the Cranford High School Madrigal Singers were selected to perform at the Garden State Arts Center, the National Music Conference in Philadelphia, Epcot Center in Florida and the Notre Dame Cathedral in Montreal.

He was the first place winner out of 43 choirs at the Williamsburg Music Festival, performed at William and Mary College for more than 5,000 band and choir members throughout the eastern United States.

For the past five years, he has directed the Celebration Singers and recently directed the opera, “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” Pedas is also the founder and director of the Celebration Children's Chorus, and the founder of the Linden Summer Playhouse.

He is currently teaching at Hillside Avenue School, where for the last three years he has placed the highest number ofstudents in the Elementary and Junior High All-State Honor Choirs, as well as having students chosen for All-Eastern and National Honor Choirs.

Pedas leads the way for All-State Choir

The choir is scheduled to perform 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Columbia High School in Maplewood with the Elementary All State Honor Choir.

Pedas was named a master music teacher of New Jersey by the New Jersey Music Educators Association for what it calls his “dedicated service to the education of youth.”

He previously was a guest conductor for the Region II High School Chorus. In 1992 he was the manager of the All-Eastern High School Honor Choir for a performance in Boston, Mass.

A former director of the Madrigal Singers at Cranford High School, Pedas has conducted workshops for the New Jersey Music Educators Association and American Choral Directors Association.

For the past five years he has been the director of the Roselle-based Celebration Singers. Pedas is founder and director of the Celebration Children's Chorus, an affiliated ensemble. He also is the founder of the Linden Summer Playhouse.

As a Hillside Avenue School teacher for the past three years, Pedas has placed the highest number of students in the All-State Honor Choirs on the elementary and junior high levels. His music students have been selected for the All-Eastern Honor Choir and National Honor Choir.