There are times when “thank you” just doesn’t seem to be sufficient. That was the case on Sunday, Sep-tember 10 when St. John Chrysostom parish community celebrated the 50-year career and retirement of our beloved cantor, Kevin Beres. As one priest stated Kevin is “one of the best [cantors]” and we could not agree more. Following Divine Liturgy on September 10, Fr. Miron Kerl’-Kmec presented Kevin with the icon Synaxis of Holy Chanters and Hymnographers. The parish family then gathered in the social hall for a light lunch and cake and an opportunity to personally thank Kevin for his many years of service.

At the age of 14 Kevin expressed to his mother a desire to sing with the parish cantor Mr. Frank Kostilnik. She encouraged Kevin to talk with the cantor and as they say, the rest is history. Frank Kostilnik welcomed the enthusiastic teenager to the cantor’s podium, and Kevin began singing with him. He joined Michael Roman who chanted the Epistle in Church Slavonic and John “Lefty” Lopata who chanted the “Viruju” – the Nicene Creed–in Church Slavonic.

But Kevin’s training began much earlier. He always loved singing along with 45s on his record player. He sang in grade school where he learned to read music. Most importantly, Kevin attended Slavonic Lit-urgy with his maternal grandmother, Mary Dzura every Sunday and followed along with his prayer book learning to read Church Slavonic. Thus began a devotion to the church that continues to this day.

Kevin cantored his first solo Liturgy on August 6, 1973, and received additional guidance on Holy Days with Lefty Lopata singing along for moral support. Steve Malitak from Holy Spirit, on Pittsburgh’s North Side, cantored funerals and taught Kevin the funeral melodies in both English and Church Slavonic.

A few years later Joe Matvey completed the course at the Metropolitan Cantors Institute and joined Kevin as a cantor for St. John Chrysostom. Joe’s son David would also learn to cantor for the parish. Kev-in inherited the role of lead cantor from Frank Kostilnik. Kevin became cantor at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Greenfield) when Cantor George Gavula became ill. Kevin continued in that role until the closing of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary church. In 2014 when +Fr. Thomas Schaeffer was Adminis-trator of St. John the Baptist (South Side) and cantor Joseph Ruglovsky moved away, Kevin assumed the duties of cantor there.

As a student at the University of Pittsburgh, Kevin sang with the University’s Men’s Glee Club, travel-ing with them to Europe in 1990 for the group’s 100th Anniversary. He also sang with the Heinz Chapel Choir in 1989, traveling with them to California to perform. In 2019 Kevin retired from the Post-Gazette as a mailer, having started with the Pittsburgh Press in 1974. Kevin is also a life-long GCU Member.

In August 2022 Kevin announced his intention to retire in September 2023 as cantor and his wish to train a replacement. For one full year, Kevin trained two men to become cantors. Andrew Prizzi of St. John the Baptist and Eric Williams of St. John Chrysostom assumed the duties of cantor for their respec-tive churches effective September 1. In retirement Kevin will continue to share his gift with the parish community, helping with Holy Days, funerals and an occasional Divine Liturgy, and most importantly offer-ing encouragement and support to his successors. So, while “Thank You” may be somewhat insufficient, our gratitude for Kevin’s commitment to St. John Chrysostom and St. John the Baptist Churches and his 50 years as cantor is truly heartfelt. May God grant Kevin many more blessed, happy and healthy years. Mnohaja Litja!

Elizabeth Harbist | Beaver Constellation Coordinator

Pictured above is Deacon Tim Kennedy; Cantor Kevin Beres; Fr. Miron and Deacon Thomas Donlin.