Richard Perkins has dedicated 59 of his 63 years of life to music.
Perkins has been teaching music courses at ARCC for 37 years. In full, he has been teaching one form of music or another for 42 years. At the ARCC Coon Rapids campus, he is currently teaching Music Theory, Advanced Music Theory, Aural Comprehension and Advanced Aural Comprehension, but he has taught every music course ARCC offers, at one time or another.
Although his wife isn’t in the music business, she does love music and helps Perkins frequently. He admits that he has to thank her for lending him many of her CDs for his Rock and Roll History course.
Before ARCC, Perkins taught at Amery, Wis. He taught a variety of different classes, including music for Special Education, jazz, elementary music, middle school choir, high school band, and swing choir. “It was a wonderful way to start my music career,” Perkins said, “because I experienced so many different levels of music education right away.”
His aunt, Viora Perkins, was a piano teacher, so Perkins began learning to play the piano at the early age of four. In Spooner, Wis., the town he grew up in, the band program allowed children to start learning an instrument in the fourth grade. When Perkins followed his fifth grade brother, Mike, to band one day, the teacher gave him a coronet and told him to sit down and play. Perkins was eight and not technically old enough to learn an instrument, but he said, “I’ve been playing the trumpet every since.”
His school also had an orchestra program, so he started on the violin, but progressed much faster than his classmates. “Maybe I thought it was too easy,” Perkins said, “so I stopped playing the violin and stayed with the trumpet.”
As far as his teaching style goes, Perkins realizes that every student learns a different way than those around him/her. He tries to cater to the many ways students learn by offering a variety of teaching styles. Some of these include visual, aural, and tactile methods. Overall, he simply wants to help students to understand music and love it as much as he does.
Perkins told me that the way in which he teaches constantly changes. If a student doesn’t understand what he is trying to teach, he attempts to help that student to learn by teaching in a different manner. “If one way doesn’t work, then I try another way,” he said simply.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Who's Your Patty? Controversy
McDonald's recently began using the phrase "Who's Your Patty?" on advertisements. A small restaurant called Lions Tap in Eden Prairie has been using this phrase on their menu for four years. They decided to sue McDonald's for using their trademark, though they only filed for a federal trademark a few days before the trial.
Star Tribune 10/30/09
Star Tribune 10/30/09
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Perkins Interview Transcript
How old are you?
63
How long have you been working for ARCC?
I have been teaching music for 42 years, the last 37 at ARCC.
What exactly do you teach at ARCC?
I have taught all music classes offered at ARCC sometime in my career at ARCC. Music
Appreciation, Class Piano, Music History, Rock and Roll History, Fundamentals of Music and
many other courses. Presently I am teaching Music Theory, Advanced Music Theory, Aural
Comprehension and Advanced Aural Comprehension.
How would you describe your teaching style?
My teaching style is to engage students and help them understand music and learn to love music
and learning as much as I do. I attempt to offer many types of teaching styles to cater to the many
learning styles that students use. Visual, aural, tactile learning styles are a few of the
teaching styles that I try to use.
Where did you teach before ARCC?
I first started teaching in Amery, Wisconsin. I taught everything from Music for Special
Education programs, elementary music, middle school choir, high school band and jazz
ensemble along with swing choir. It was a wonderful way to start my music career. I experienced
so many different levels of music education right away. I also learned many ways to teach music.
It has been extremely helpful throughout my career. Afert four years of teaching in Amery I
decided to return to college and work on my Masters of Music. I entered the University of Iowa and
completed my Masters in Trumpet Performance. While at Iowa I taught at Cornell College in Mt.
Vernon, Iowa. I also played with the Cedar Rapids Symphony.
What first got you interested in music?
I got interested in music as a child. My aunt was a piano teacher, I started piano lessons from her
when I was four years old. I grew up in Spooner, Wisconsin. You could learn a band instrument
beginning in the fourth grade. When my brother Mike was playing in the band in fifth grade I
followed him to band. I was not old enough to start an instrument, but the band director gave me a
cornet and told me to sit down and play. I was eight years old at the time. I've been playing
trumpet ever since. Trumpet is my main instrument.
They also had an orchestra program and I started on the violin. For some reason I went through
several violin books and progressed faster than the rest of the class. Maybe I thought it was too
easy, so I stopped playing the violin and stayed with the trumpet.
Are there any specific people or events that have influenced the way you
teach, or your decision to become a music teacher? If so how or why?
I am asked often why I became a music teacher. One of the main reasons was the Vietnam War. At that
time if you were a teacher you were deferred from being drafted into the service. I decided to
teach rather than go to war. After a year or two teaching deferments were eliminated, but I was
never drafted. Teaching allowed me to teach and perform. I always wanted to be a trumpet
performer and teaching allowed me to do both. I was not thrilled, initially, to be a teacher but
grew to love it.
There are many people, courses, books and events that influence how I teach. Mainly it is the
students and my interest in helping them learn about music. If a student does not understand a
topic or concept that influences me into finding a way to help the student. If one way doesn't
work than I try another way. My goal is to help students understand the material and love music as
much as I do.
Was the piano the first instrument you played?
Yes^
What is your "main" instrument?
Trumpet^
Are you married? If so is she musical, or does she help with your teaching in
any way?
I am married but my wife is not in the music business. She loves music and has helped me quite a bit.
I borrowed many CD's from her collection of CD's for my Rock and Roll History Class. I have to
thank her for that.
What was your aunt's name?
My aunt's name was Viora Perkins.
63
How long have you been working for ARCC?
I have been teaching music for 42 years, the last 37 at ARCC.
What exactly do you teach at ARCC?
I have taught all music classes offered at ARCC sometime in my career at ARCC. Music
Appreciation, Class Piano, Music History, Rock and Roll History, Fundamentals of Music and
many other courses. Presently I am teaching Music Theory, Advanced Music Theory, Aural
Comprehension and Advanced Aural Comprehension.
How would you describe your teaching style?
My teaching style is to engage students and help them understand music and learn to love music
and learning as much as I do. I attempt to offer many types of teaching styles to cater to the many
learning styles that students use. Visual, aural, tactile learning styles are a few of the
teaching styles that I try to use.
Where did you teach before ARCC?
I first started teaching in Amery, Wisconsin. I taught everything from Music for Special
Education programs, elementary music, middle school choir, high school band and jazz
ensemble along with swing choir. It was a wonderful way to start my music career. I experienced
so many different levels of music education right away. I also learned many ways to teach music.
It has been extremely helpful throughout my career. Afert four years of teaching in Amery I
decided to return to college and work on my Masters of Music. I entered the University of Iowa and
completed my Masters in Trumpet Performance. While at Iowa I taught at Cornell College in Mt.
Vernon, Iowa. I also played with the Cedar Rapids Symphony.
What first got you interested in music?
I got interested in music as a child. My aunt was a piano teacher, I started piano lessons from her
when I was four years old. I grew up in Spooner, Wisconsin. You could learn a band instrument
beginning in the fourth grade. When my brother Mike was playing in the band in fifth grade I
followed him to band. I was not old enough to start an instrument, but the band director gave me a
cornet and told me to sit down and play. I was eight years old at the time. I've been playing
trumpet ever since. Trumpet is my main instrument.
They also had an orchestra program and I started on the violin. For some reason I went through
several violin books and progressed faster than the rest of the class. Maybe I thought it was too
easy, so I stopped playing the violin and stayed with the trumpet.
Are there any specific people or events that have influenced the way you
teach, or your decision to become a music teacher? If so how or why?
I am asked often why I became a music teacher. One of the main reasons was the Vietnam War. At that
time if you were a teacher you were deferred from being drafted into the service. I decided to
teach rather than go to war. After a year or two teaching deferments were eliminated, but I was
never drafted. Teaching allowed me to teach and perform. I always wanted to be a trumpet
performer and teaching allowed me to do both. I was not thrilled, initially, to be a teacher but
grew to love it.
There are many people, courses, books and events that influence how I teach. Mainly it is the
students and my interest in helping them learn about music. If a student does not understand a
topic or concept that influences me into finding a way to help the student. If one way doesn't
work than I try another way. My goal is to help students understand the material and love music as
much as I do.
Was the piano the first instrument you played?
Yes^
What is your "main" instrument?
Trumpet^
Are you married? If so is she musical, or does she help with your teaching in
any way?
I am married but my wife is not in the music business. She loves music and has helped me quite a bit.
I borrowed many CD's from her collection of CD's for my Rock and Roll History Class. I have to
thank her for that.
What was your aunt's name?
My aunt's name was Viora Perkins.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Dog Recovers From Viscious Bear Attack
Roxie, a 6-year-old boxer, and her owner, Tim Peltz, of Mount Pleasent, Wis. got out of his truck on Oct. 17. Roxie went over to the woods and met up with a mother bear who bit Roxie and swung her around. Peltz went into the house for a gun, but when he returned the bears were gone and Roxie was bleeding out. The vets didn't think she would make it, but she's proving to be a very strong dog indeed.
Pioneer Press
Pioneer Press
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Princeton Takes Zimmerman
Princeton Football Game
Oct. 13, 2009
It was a chilly Minnesota Autumn night last Monday, but that didn’t stop Princeton’s Varsity Football team!
The team’s quarterback, Junior William Soule, started the game against the Zimmerman Thunder with a perfect throw to No. 75, Sophomore Zack Woodman. Woodman leapt into the air to catch the toss and landed on the field already running towards an early touchdown. He didn’t quite make it, however. No. 66 on Zimmerman’s team, Junior Bobby Fleischer, tackled Woodman at the 20 yard line. The number of players who had been running directly behind the two caused a massive pileup on top of Woodman. He suffered a minor sprained ankle, but felt too injured to continue in the game.
“I would never let a little thing like a sprained ankle keep me from playing,” Jason Hanson, a sophomore at Princeton High School who was thrilled to take Woodman’s place in the game said.
As the sky darkened and the air chilled further, Princeton scored another three touchdowns. The student section in the Princeton bleachers was going wild with excitement at the victory they were sure they were headed for. Senior Tom Jarvis said, “The only reason I even go to the high school football games is because of how pumped the students get.”
It was nearing halftime and Princeton was up 28-0. Suddenly, however, Zimmerman was nearing their twenty yard line. No. 23, Ben Howard of the Zimmerman team, scored a touchdown, five seconds before halftime.
“The Princeton fans weren’t discouraged,” Assistant Coach Eric Bjurman assured me. The cheerleaders came out and did a few cheers, and before you knew it, the game was on. Forty-five minutes into the third quarter and Princeton was still in the lead with 28-20. The next hour was a “satisfying and intense battle,” as starting center, No. 58 Reid Atterbury, worded it.
Neither team scored again until the last ten minutes of the game. Hanson said, “I was starting to get worried we were going to have to settle for eight points ahead.” He made it through the wall of blue and white outfitted players, though, and scored the last touchdown for a Princeton win of 35-20.
Zimmerman fought hard, but in the end, Princeton came out on top, winning the last game of their football season.
Oct. 13, 2009
It was a chilly Minnesota Autumn night last Monday, but that didn’t stop Princeton’s Varsity Football team!
The team’s quarterback, Junior William Soule, started the game against the Zimmerman Thunder with a perfect throw to No. 75, Sophomore Zack Woodman. Woodman leapt into the air to catch the toss and landed on the field already running towards an early touchdown. He didn’t quite make it, however. No. 66 on Zimmerman’s team, Junior Bobby Fleischer, tackled Woodman at the 20 yard line. The number of players who had been running directly behind the two caused a massive pileup on top of Woodman. He suffered a minor sprained ankle, but felt too injured to continue in the game.
“I would never let a little thing like a sprained ankle keep me from playing,” Jason Hanson, a sophomore at Princeton High School who was thrilled to take Woodman’s place in the game said.
As the sky darkened and the air chilled further, Princeton scored another three touchdowns. The student section in the Princeton bleachers was going wild with excitement at the victory they were sure they were headed for. Senior Tom Jarvis said, “The only reason I even go to the high school football games is because of how pumped the students get.”
It was nearing halftime and Princeton was up 28-0. Suddenly, however, Zimmerman was nearing their twenty yard line. No. 23, Ben Howard of the Zimmerman team, scored a touchdown, five seconds before halftime.
“The Princeton fans weren’t discouraged,” Assistant Coach Eric Bjurman assured me. The cheerleaders came out and did a few cheers, and before you knew it, the game was on. Forty-five minutes into the third quarter and Princeton was still in the lead with 28-20. The next hour was a “satisfying and intense battle,” as starting center, No. 58 Reid Atterbury, worded it.
Neither team scored again until the last ten minutes of the game. Hanson said, “I was starting to get worried we were going to have to settle for eight points ahead.” He made it through the wall of blue and white outfitted players, though, and scored the last touchdown for a Princeton win of 35-20.
Zimmerman fought hard, but in the end, Princeton came out on top, winning the last game of their football season.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Man Found Unconsious, Parents Dead
Relatives found Michael Schwarze, 22, unconscious in a cabin near Longville, Minn. last Saturday. They also found his parents, Lee and Nancy Schwarze, 58 and 55, dead on the scene. Autopsy results are expected later this week.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
My Obituary
Samantha Lauryl Brand, 16, died last Friday, November 13. A psychotic serial killer named Jason Voorhees butchered her, apparently for no reason.
Brand was a happy girl who loved to help people and have fun. "She was always looking out for her friends," her mother commented.
Brand was a junior at Princeton High School, and a part time PSEO student, taking online college courses at Anoka-Ramsey Community College. She had hoped to finish her Associate in Arts degree before graduating from high school. After high school she was planning on pursuing a Master's degree in Music Education, though she was still unsure of what college she wanted to attend. She had hoped to get a job teaching a high school band.
Speech was another thing Brand loved to do. She first joined in eighth grade and ended up loving it so much she had been in it ever since. High school speech season doesn't start until late December, but she had already decided her category and piece for this year. She was going to do an informative speech on the history of the Joker. The topic was suggested by her mother.
Brand will be cremated on Monday, November 16, and a memorial service will be held at the Crystal Lake Funeral Home on Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Her family plans to scatter her ashes in the Rum River, near the Rum River Park in Princeton.
Surviving Brand are her brother, Logan Brand, her mother, Beckie Brand, and her father, Dan Brand.
Brand was a happy girl who loved to help people and have fun. "She was always looking out for her friends," her mother commented.
Brand was a junior at Princeton High School, and a part time PSEO student, taking online college courses at Anoka-Ramsey Community College. She had hoped to finish her Associate in Arts degree before graduating from high school. After high school she was planning on pursuing a Master's degree in Music Education, though she was still unsure of what college she wanted to attend. She had hoped to get a job teaching a high school band.
Speech was another thing Brand loved to do. She first joined in eighth grade and ended up loving it so much she had been in it ever since. High school speech season doesn't start until late December, but she had already decided her category and piece for this year. She was going to do an informative speech on the history of the Joker. The topic was suggested by her mother.
Brand will be cremated on Monday, November 16, and a memorial service will be held at the Crystal Lake Funeral Home on Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Her family plans to scatter her ashes in the Rum River, near the Rum River Park in Princeton.
Surviving Brand are her brother, Logan Brand, her mother, Beckie Brand, and her father, Dan Brand.
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