Pederson had always been involved in music throughout his years in school.

“My parents were very supportive of me when it came to music,” said Pederson. “They put me in music lessons and piano lessons which really helped me excel musically.”

His biggest musical influence was his high school music director, Cassie Langstaff. She had become the main reason he wanted to pursue a music career after high school.

“The biggest and best thing she ever did was to really push me, and as someone who has always had trouble with authority figures, this was challenging,” he said.”However, in the long run it helps me attain the careers I have had so far in my life.”

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
The Fort Dodge Choral Society, under the direction of Jacob Pedersen, rehearses recently at Grace Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge.

As well as pushing Pederson, she gave him opportunities he did not even know existed. Langstaff introduced him to All State his junior year in high school, and she was the first to cast him in a musical which was “The Wizard of Oz.”

“Because of her, I continued studying music and even started at the same college she attended,” said Pederson.

He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in K-12 music education from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake and later earned a Master’s in music education from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota.

After college, he was the 9-12 vocal director at Odeboldt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove School District. During his time there, he directed concert choir, musicals, All-State singers, solo/ensemble contest, jazz choir, and show choir. His other duties included teaching music theory and music appreciation.

With changing jobs to a college, he knew he was going to have to rebuild as teaching music at Iowa Central Community College would be a lot different.

“I went from teaching 120 students to now about 23,” he said. “All my new students are excited to learn and go further with their music education as well as having a place to belong. Right now, we have a goal of getting more students involved in music during college.”

Pederson wants to show students that even if you think you won’t have time for an extracurricular activity like choir in college, that it is not impossible and it is something you can still partake in after high school.

Along with his career at Iowa Central, he also serves as the Fort Dodge Choral Society’s artistic director.

“I am very excited to be joining the Choral Society as they are a more mature ensemble and we are able to perform literature that pushes the boundaries and are more complex,” he said. “They are a very trustworthy, responsible, caring group and I am glad to be able to be a part of the ensemble.”

The Fort Dodge Choral Society is one of the oldest community groups performing fine choral literature in Iowa. It was organized in 1968.

It was conducted by Bruce Perry from 1993 to 2023. Perry helped solidify Fort Dodge Choral Society ‘s place in the artistic community. After he died, Greta Nelson took over as artistic director from 2023 until earlier this year. Under her leadership, the organization grew and prospered.

“I have really big shoes to fill as both of the previous directors did a fantastic job establishing and growing the choir,” Pederson said.