Mario Pearson was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa during that country’s Apartheid era. As a child he received early musical training through the Royal Schools of Music and Trinity College of Music. He has been involved with church music since the age of 12 when he became church organist for his local parish. His family came to the United States in 1983 and settled in Fairmont, West Virginia. After college graduation he moved to Florida in 1988 to begin a career of service to several faith and education communities.
Mario was an educator in the Florida parochial and public school system from 1988-2001. He served as fine arts department chairman, director of choral activities, music theory, piano and musical theater at Mainland High school in Daytona Beach. His choral and musical theater performing groups consistently received superior ratings and his musical theater programs received the “best of the best” ratings in the state of Florida for two consecutive years.
His dedication to working with students from all cultural and economic backgrounds was rewarded when he was named Mainland High School’s Teacher of the Year and Volusia County’s Teacher of the year in 1999. Later that year, he was selected as one of 172 teachers in the nation to be awarded the prestigious Milken Family Foundation award for teaching excellence.
He holds a Bachelor's degree in musiceducation K-12 with an emphasis in piano and organ performance and choral pedagogy; a Masters degree in Education Administration and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership. Prior to his appointment at the Cathedral in November 2006, he served as an adjunct professor of education at Daytona Beach Community College, and as director of Music and Liturgy for Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Daytona Beach Florida where he developed many diverse music and liturgy programs within the faith community as well as serving as band director in the school. Additionally, he worked as a professional music consultant and clinician to churches, choral and theater performing groups .
Email the Director of Music: mpearson@kcgolddome.org
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