Students from St. John the Apostle in Clark performed with renowned violinist Andre Rieu

Cranford Chronicle - New Jersey Suburban News

June 28, 2010

Students from Saint John the Apostle School in Clark are waiting in their dressing room
to appear on stage at the Nassau Coliseum with Andre Rieu and his orchestra.
Eileen Esposito, computer teacher, and Tom Pedas, music director, joined the group.

Tom Pedas, selected as a Master Music Teacher of New Jersey by the NJMEA, started teaching music at Saint John in 2007 after he retired from the public schools of Linden and Cranford, where his choirs were consistently rated high in various state and national competitions. As the director of the Saint John choir, he took the choir to a "Music in the Parks" competition in 2009, where they received a superior rating and first place trophy. In May 2010, they again performed in a "Music in the Parks" competition, where they not only received another superior rating, but also achieved the Highest Over All Score of the entire Festival, with a score of 98.25 out of a possible 100 points.

In addition to the boys from Saint John, Rieu and his Orchestra were joined on stage by young women from Jersey City's Saint Dominic Academy Choir. Together, they performed Michael Jackson's "Earth Song" as a special tribute to the late singer. Saint Dominic Academy and Saint John the Apostle School are schools run by the Dominican Sisters of Caldwell, New Jersey and are part of the Newark Archdiocese. The principal of Saint John the Apostle is Sister Donna Marie, O. P.

This year, with a score of 98.25 out of a possible 100 points the school choir also received the "Outstanding Overall" award. Out of 22 elementary, middle school and high school bands, choirs and orchestras from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the Clark school's choir had the highest over all score of the festival. The awards were presented at Dorney Park in Pennsylvania.

The 45-voice choir is under the direction of Tom Pedas, a former music teacher in the Cranford and Linden Public Schools and founder of the Celebration Children's Choir and Linden Summer Playhouse.

Carly Nygard, a famous composer, conductor, and educator, had this to say about the choir "You should be very proud. You are making music on a very high level. I enjoyed hearing you."

Dr. Paula Zerkle, head of the choral department at Moravian College, said "there are great things happening in this choir and it is a pleasure to hear such young children singing so fine."

Conor, a fourth grade choir member at the school, received the "Outstanding over all soloist award" at the festival for his solo in "Amazing Grace". Conor recently sang with the New Jersey Elementary All State Honor Choir and sings with the Celebration Singers children's choir in Cranford.

The 44-voice choir is under the direction of Tom Pedas, a former music teacher in the Cranford and Linden public schools.

"This is my second year at Saint John and this is the first time that our school has ever participated in any kind of a festival so I was elated with how well our children did," Pedas said.