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The Canadian-born choral conductor and music educator, Keith E. Pedersen, began his music studies at the Canadian Nazarene College in Calgary, Alberta (September 1978-April 1979). He obtained his Bachelor of Music degee'sin Voice, Music Theory and Music Education from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Indiana (September 1979-June 1983); his Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Temple University in Philadelphia (September 1989-May 1991); and his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting and Literature from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (September 1991-May 1997). During his Graduate Assistantship he was Conductor of Vermilion Festival Chorus (Danville, Illinois).
Keith Pedersen is an accomplished choral conductor and music educator with decades spent working with ensembles of various performance, experience, and age levels, from children to adults. His primary focus has been university-aged chamber, masterwork and vocal jazz ensembles. He also has extensive experience as a church musician in various denominations, providing leadership in ministry through music of different styles and traditions. He has worked frequently with both university and professional orchestras, directing and producing performances of many choral-orchestral masterworks. Among his cherished achievements are the self-planning and/or directing of nine international tours for both university and church ensembles and the co-directing of a summer choral camp for high school students. He has also presented at district, regional, and state conferences and is a frequent choir festival adjudicator and clinician in both the classical and jazz idioms.
Keith Pedersen has been Professor of Music at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California since 1997. He enjoys directing the chamber choir (Point Loma Singers), masterworks choir and orchestra, and Vocal Jazz Ensemble at PLNU. He has also taught choral conducting, choral methods, and music history classes (specializing in Baroque/Classical and Medieval/Renaissance). His teaching experience includes Introduction to Music (general education), class voice, and, most recently, the capstone course for music majors: Faith, Life and Music. He has been involved in the development of a university-wide assessment program.
Keith Pedersen has also served as Director of Choral Ministries at La Jolla Presbyterian Church in La Jolla, CALa Jolla, California since 2001. He finds fulfillment leading the 60+ member LJPC Chancel Choir in the use of various musical styles to add meaning to spiritual life and worship of the LJPC congregation. He is blessed to work monthly with the La Jolla Brass and regularly with the volunteer LJPC Orchestra to enhance the musical life of worship services. He also directs the choir and a professional orchestra in two major concerts each year. Believing that music is God's gift to worshipers/seekers of all ages, he also enjoys overseeing the directors of a graded program of children and youth choirs. He currently lives in San Diego, California. His son is the baritone Søren Pedersen. |
