John Pivarnik, Minister of Music

John Pivarnik, pianist, is organist/choirmaster at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Essex Fells and also works as a freelance instrumental and vocal accompanist and performs solo recitals frequently in the metropolitan area.

Mr. Pivarnik did his undergraduate studies at Susquehanna University majoring in piano performance. His piano teachers there were Galen Deibler and Philip Clarke. He studied organ at Susquehanna with James Boeringer. As a Rotary Exchange student in high school he studied in Haderslev, Denmark, studying organ with Paul Aagaard Pedersen.  He pursued graduate piano study with Maryan Filar at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA and studied Lied-Begleitung and piano with Gunter Ludwig at Cologne Musik Hochschule in Cologne, Germany and serving as organist in Cologne-Marienburg. In the summer 2005 he studied for two weeks at the Franz Liszt Piano Academy in Sopron, Hungary with Dr. William Wellborn and Prof. Adam Wibrowski.

He is currently a student of Susan Starr. John Pivarnik teaches piano privately at his home studio in Madison, NJ and at Christ Church in Short Hills and performs frequently with the Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey and Opera at Florham. He has performed at Grace Church, Madison for the annual Baroque Music Festivals.

 

Mr. Pivarnik has served most recently as organist/choirmaster at Christ Church in Short Hills, NJ and has supplied as substitute organist throughout the metropolitan area.

 

John lives in Madison with his wife Esther and their French bulldog, Nellie.

James Donough, Bell Choir Director

An active musician with a background as a trumpet player, James Donough has been Director of Saint Peter's Bell Choir for three years. Jim teaches fifth grade math, sceince, and social studies in Chatham. Jim and his wife Heather have two adult children, Erik and Krista.