The Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians

Rick Gibala

NPM Pittsburgh Chapter Personnel

Rev. James J. Chepponis

Director, Office for Music Ministry
Diocese of Pittsburgh, Music Office
2900 Noblestown Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15205.
Phone: 412-456-3042
NPMPGH@aol.com

Fr. Jim Chepponis is a priest of the Pittsburgh Diocese ordained in 1985. He received his B.A. in music with a major in organ and a minor in voice. Fr. Jim received an M.Div. and M.A. in systematic theology from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, MD. Since 1996, Fr. Jim has served the Pittsburgh Diocese as Director of the Office for Music Ministry, and his work includes providing music for all major Diocesan liturgies, directing the Diocesan Choir, and serving as a music resource for parishes throughout the Pittsburgh Diocese. In July of 2003, Fr. Chepponis was also appointed as pastor of St. John Capistran parish in the Upper St. Clair section of Pittsburgh. Fr. Jim has led workshops on pastoral music throughout the country, and was a participant in the creation of the document The Milwaukee Symposia for Church Composers: A Ten-Year Report. His published articles on liturgy and music have appeared in Pastoral Music, The Hymn, and GIA Quarterly. Fr. Jim has over 75 published compositions, many of which are featured on this three GIA recordings Cry Out With Joy, Songs of Jubilation, and Jubilation Mass: Ritual Music for the Liturgy.

Herbert A. Dillahunt

NPM Pittsburgh Chapter Director
Good Shepherd  Parish
1024 Maple Way, Braddock,  PA  15104
412-271-1326, 412-271-1222, fax
nasard@aol.com
Director of Music Ministries and Organist at Good Shepherd Parish, Braddock for the past 24 years, previously11 years at Presentation Church (now St. Blaise) in Midland PA..  Member of NPM since 1979, served as various chapter officers since that time.  Newsletter editor for the Pittsburgh Chapter AGO.  Director of the touring Good Shepherd Handbells.  Graduate of Duquesne University with a major in organ and a minor in piano with graduate work in conducting at Westminster Choir College, Duquesne University and University of Michigan. 

David Dreher

Assistant Director for Recruitment
St. Kilian Parish
7076 Franklin Road
Cranberry Township,  PA  16066
724-625-1665
ddreher@saintkilian.org
David Dreher has been involved with church music since 1970. He began as a cantor at St. Anne’s in Castle Shannon. He later joined the Ministry of Healing at Mercy Hospital and was cantor-in-residence for many years. While working with Karen Clarke he sang at workshops for Revs. John Gallen, Bob Hovda, Eugene Walsh and many more. He also was cantor for many diocesan events including the ordinations of Bishops Bevilaqua, Wuerl, Zubik and DiNardo.  He has been the director of music and liturgy at several parishes; SS. John and Paul (6 years) St. Malachy (2 years) and is currently director of music ministries at Saint Kilian Parish (7 years). As a long time member of NPM, David has given workshops for our local chapter as well as for regional and national NPM conventions. Through his close association with David Haas, he has been a faculty member and vocal coach instructor at Music Ministry Alive in St. Paul, MN for the last 7 years and thoroughly enjoys working with the youth in music ministry. David is married to Janet and has three sons. He has lived in Wexford, PA for the last 22 years.

Carol Accetta

Animator for Koinonia
412-221-3181
accettac@comcast.net
A graduate of Duquesne School of Music with a Bachelor of Music degree with a major in organ, Carol has worked in the Diocese since her high school days as the accompanist for the Men's choir in her parish church. She served for many years with the Diocesan Worship Commission and was part of the team of priests and musicians who were instrumental in carrying out the Vatican II changes in the liturgy with demonstration masses and workshops. Carol has served as Music Minister in many of the parishes in the South Hills area, most recently St. Thomas More in Bethel Park for 20 years. Carol is currently taking a hiatus and is subbing wherever she is needed.

Julianna D. Haag

Secretary Treasurer
St. Catherine of Siena
1810 Belasco Avenue
Pittsburgh,  PA  15216
412-531-2135
jmdhaag@hotmail.com
Since 2004, Julianna has been the Music Minister at St. Catherine of Siena, Beechview. From 1990-2004 she did substitute work in the South and West areas of Pittsburgh while raising her family. Julianna has twelve years of private study in organ from Gladys Klaber. She was a member of the AGO from 1982-2003 and served on the Executive Board from 1997-2000. Julianna has a BS-Accounting from Duquesne University and worked in International Banking from 1977-1988 as a Foreign Exchange Trader for PNC Bank. Volunteer work includes Boy/Girl Scouts, and St. Bernard PTG. Currently volunteers as a docent and membership chairman of the Neville House Associates at Woodville Plantation. She is a past president, newsletter editor, and junior docent coordinator.

Doris Anne Mercer
Diocesan Music Office Secretary
412-456-3042
Doris is a member of the choir and a cantor at St. John Capistran in Upper St. Clair, and has been a member of the Diocesan Choir for thirteen years, and also have performed as a member of the Diocesan Schola. She was selected for the first Honors Choir that performed at the NPM convention under the direction of Richard Proulx. Doris is married, and has two children, EJ amd Michael. Michael is autistic, and with the help of Grace Harding, who recently retired from the Diocese as the Director of the Department of Persons with Disabilities, and other mothers, formed GLEA, God's Love Embraces Autism. GLEA was developed to aid parents with autistic children to educate their children in the Catholic faith, and integrate their children into the entire parish experience.