Concert Celebrates ‘Storied Career’ Of West Orange Educator (VIDEO)

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the West Orange Public School District. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The annual Music Faculty Concert held at Liberty Middle School on Feb. 5 not only celebrated the talents of the West Orange music staff, but its founder, retiring Fine Arts Supervisor Lou Quagliato.

Quagliato is retiring after a storied 24-year career. He began the Music Faculty concert to give the community the opportunity to enjoy the skills of the immensely talented music teachers and staff in West Orange.

Chorus teacher John Hellyer emceed the evening, which featured musical songs and instrumental performances in a wide array of genres from pop to jazz to classical. A highlight of the evening was Liberty Middle School Band teacher Ryan Krewer's original composition, "Q." The appreciative crowd gave Quagliato and the Faculty Jazz Band a standing ovation as Quagliato was presented with flowers. As his wife and grandchildren came forward to retrieve them, a glimpse of Quagliato's reasons for retirement became clearer.

In addition to retired faculty performing during the concert, several retired principals, teachers, board members, and long-time retired superintendent Jerry Tarnoff, who hired Quagliato, were in attendance. Donations were accepted at the door for scholarships to be awarded to graduating seniors pursuing music degrees.

"I remember all the jobs I applied to be an administrator, and I wasn't getting any of these jobs," said Quagliato, "and this fantastic job came up in West Orange, and it's been an incredible journey for the last 24 years."

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