About the Director

A native of New York’s Adirondack Mountains, Joel Perkins is a fifth-generation violinist and fiddler of over 28 years. He received his music education degree in orchestral teaching from the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, NY, and is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Music Education degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After receiving his undergraduate degree, he taught elementary general music and orchestra, middle and high school band and chorus, and has directed the Adirondack Youth Mezzo strings and woodwinds ensemble of the Adirondack Youth Orchestra Association. He currently teaches high school orchestra and instrumental techniques at Martha Ellen Stilwell School of the Arts in Jonesboro, GA, and maintains a thriving private studio.

He has recorded and produced five albums to his name and, most recently, a family anthology of eighty-six tunes over three CDs spanning five generations of Perkins Family music. Joel has had the opportunity to tour nationally with the band Jacks and Heroes and perform at the Great American Irish Festival in Utica, NY, with his former band, Inisheer. One of his most memorable moments was performing for President George W. Bush and U.S Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas while in office.

Joel's current pursuits outside of teaching include his new band, .jpeg with bandmate and colleague Eric Gregory, composing original Celtic/Electronic musical and visual works that focus on music as a language.