From staff reports
Francis J. Nesta, a retired music teacher from Knox, has been named to the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Hall of Fame.
Nesta was one of four music educators honored in this year’s ceremony held during the PMEA State Professional Development Conference Awards Breakfast at the Convention Center in Erie.
Francis J. Nesta
Nesta completed 42 years of service, all in the Keystone School District. During his tenure, he taught elementary instrumental music, junior high and senior high choral music, music theory, and general music. During the final five years, he also directed the marching and concert bands.
He was the director for the Keystone High School musicals in 1983 and 1984 and resumed leadership of those productions in 2004.
Nesta graduated from Clarion State College with a bachelor of science in music education in 1973 and went on to complete a master’s of education in music education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1977.
In 1991, he was named as one of 10 participants in a national Summer Music Fellowship program at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he studied choral conducting and computers in music. He also completed some theological studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore Kentucky and is currently continuing in that area through the Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, New York.
Nesta served in numerous leadership roles as well. He served three terms as president of the Clarion County Music Educators, two terms as president of PMEA District 3, and was elected to serve as the PMEA state president from 2009-2010.
He was guest conductor at many choral festivals in Pennsylvania. He has guest conducted multiple times each at the Jefferson County Choral Festival, the Beaver County Honors chorus, and the Indiana and Somerset County choral festivals. He has been PMEA Songfest guest conductor in District 3 and in District 12. He conducted IU5 and IU9 Junior High District Chorus and served as guest conductor for the Western Pennsylvania Christian District Chorus at Christian Life Academy and Warren County Christian School. Outside of the school environment, he has guest conducted for several church choir festivals.
Nesta is also an active composer.
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