Mr. Pellas is currently Director of Bands at F. J. Carnage Magnet Middle School (FJCMS) in Raleigh where he maintains a 200-student band program that includes four concert bands, a jazz band, and a percussion ensemble.  During his time at FJCMS, Mr. Pellas has demanded musicality, responsibility and musical growth from his students.  Students from FJCMS are consistently represented in County, District, and All-State Honor Bands.  Bands during his tenure have earned Superior ratings at MPA in grades II, III and IV literature.

Mr. Pellas believes in programming quality music for his students.  While it can be difficult to find quality, easier-moderate grade music that is not “pop” for young bands, Mr. Pellas puts forth great effort to program a variety of music that is chosen not simply for a catchy tune or widely-known appeal, but for the musical concepts that each piece teaches.  Mr. Pellas insists that his bands play musically and with proper tone, tempo and rhythm.  To accomplish this, Mr. Pellas uses a variety of teaching techniques, including the Comprehensive Music Learning Sequence (CMLS) Method and variants of the Breathing Gym.

Prior to becoming the Director of Bands at FJCMS, Mr. Pellas taught for 9 years Hunter GT/AIG Magent Elementary School, where he grew and led the 100-student band program as well as taught General Music.   

Mr. Pellas has served his schools, his profession, and fellow music educators in numerous capacities.  At his schools, he has served as Arts Team Leader/Department Chair, as a certified Teacher-Mentor, and has supervised several student teachers.   He has also served on the Central District Bandmaster Association Board, the State MPA committee, as Wake County Arts Staff Development Chair, as audition host and clinic chair for the Wake County Honors Band, as Assistant Director of the Enloe Magnet High School Marching Band.  Mr. Pellas judges competitive marching bands, has been a guest conductor for various Honor Bands, and is also in demand as a pre-MPA judge and clinician. He has also played saxophone for the Triangle Wind Ensemble and the North Carolina Wind Orchestra.

Mr. Pellas has achieved several accolades as a teacher.  He is a Nationally Board Certified teacher, has been elected teacher of the year by his colleagues, and was elected Band Director of the Year for the 12-county Central Region by his band-director peers.  Both his elementary and middle school ensembles have been chosen to perform at the NCMEA In-Service Conference, with the elementary being selected as the clinic band for an ASBDA-sponsored workshop.

Mr. Pellas is married to Trinity and they have three children, a daughter, Ava, a son, Ewan, and a French Bulldog named Bettis.  The five of them live in Wendell, NC.