NJMEA Salutes Its 2019 Master Music Teachers
All-State Chorus / Orchestra / Jazz program, and Managed the NJ All- State Chorus and Region 1 Chorus. In 2011 Tom fell in love with
Tom Paster is the director of
vocal music at Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale, NJ, an Adjunct Professor of Music at William Paterson University where he directs the Advanced Pop Vocal Ensemble, and the music director at Pilgrim Congregational Church in Warren, NJ. He has previously taught vocal music at Columbia High School in Maplewood, NJ, and as an Adjunct Professor at Kean University. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Ithaca College, a Master of Science degree from the University of Scranton, and has done graduate work in music educa- tion at William Paterson University. In addition to his award winning school choirs, Tom has directed the Bergen County Chorus, Region 1 Chorus, and Region 1 Jr. Chorus. He has served on the NJMEA Board of directors, coordinated the NJ
TEMPO
contemporary a cappella. Since that time his group Highlands Voices has become one of the most award- ed and sought after high school a cappella groups in the country. Highlands Voices won the first ever National A Cappella Convention Championship in 2015, the Inter- national Championship of High School A Cappella (ICHSA) Na- tional Championship in 2014, and has won the ICHSA Mid-Atlantic A Cappella Championship six years in a row (2011-2016). Highlands Voices album Decades which featured many of Tom’s arrangements, was a Con- temporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA) runner-up for High School album of the year and their single Ain’t It Fun was the first track on Best Of High School A Cap- pella (BOHSA) 2014-2015 com- pilation album. The group was also featured on the Lifetime TV series Pitch Slapped. Under Tom’s direc- tion, Highlands Voices has performed at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fischer Hall, Town Hall The- atre, the Borgota Hotel, and Fein- stein’s/54 Below. Tom has worked hard to spread
the pop vocal art form by being a clinician for NJMEA, NAfME, MEBCI, Boston A Cappella Fest, A Cappella Education Association, Highlands A Cappella Festival, and
58 JANUARY 2019
numerous school district festivals. He has assisted many choral directors in starting contemporary a cappella groups in their school and helped established groups get to the next level. He founded the Highlands A Cappella Festival which is held annually in May. The festival is open to groups and individuals who wish to improve their knowledge of a cappella through classes, coachings, and performances.
This event
attracts some of the best teachers in a cappella including Ben Bram (producer/arranger for Pentatonix), and the legendary Deke Sharon (known as the Father of Contemporary A Cappella). Tom has partnered with Deke on numerous a cappella projects and Deke has said “Tom’s contributions to the a cappella community cannot be overstated. He is one of the first directors to take this new style into the classroom, and the results have been stunning”. Tom is also an active composer/ arranger/ensemble
coach and
arranges for and coaches many groups in the NY tri-state area. He is proud to be the NJ Rep for the A Cappella Education Association. Contact him at pastert@northernhighlands,org if he can assist you in any way with you’re a cappella group.
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