Dave and Jean Perry have been writing and publishing their songs for schools and churches for twenty-four years. Their music has been performed by choirs in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, North America and Australia. They have over two hundred fifty songs in print and are recipients of special composers awards from ASCAP.
Dave received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baker University and his Masters in Choral Music Education from Arizona State University. After spending twenty-eight years as a high school choral director, he retired in order to devote more time to writing music. During his years as a choral music educator, he also taught musical theater, music theory, guitar and humanities. Dave also has twenty years experience directing church youth choirs and five years experience as a director of a community college choir. He enjoys guest directing honor choirs and presenting workshops and interest sessions to high school choral directors. He is currently employed at Cochise College in Sierra Vista as the director of the High Desert Singers. He also directs the Spirit Singers, a youth choir at Sierra Vista United Methodist church. Dave is a recipient of the “Excellence in Teaching” award from the Arizona Music Educators Association. In the year 2000, he was selected as the “Arizona Music Educator of the Year” and also received the “Lifetime Recognition Award” from the Choral Directors of Arizona.
In 2009, Dave received the “William E. Richardson Retired Music Educator Service Award” from the Arizona Music Educators Association. In January of 2012, he was the recipient of the Sierra Vista Mayor’s Arts Award for individual contributions to the arts in Sierra Vista.
Jean began her music education studies at Baker University and completed her degree in Choral Music Education at Arizona State University. She spent seventeen years as a junior high choral director and eight years as an elementary general music specialist and choir director before retiring in 2002. Jean now devotes a majority of her time to writing and composing. She travels throughout the United States working with choirs in clinic situations, presenting interest sessions to fellow teachers and directs regional honor choirs and Elementary and Junior High All-States. Honors received include the “Excellence in Teaching” award from the Arizona Music Educators Association, the “Teacher of the Month” award from Mesa public Schools, the “Outstanding Choral Educator Award” for 2001 from the Arizona chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, the “Arizona Music Educator of the Year” for 2002, and the “Lifetime Recognition Award” from the Choral Directors of Arizona in 2004.
In 2009, Jean received the “William E. Richardson Retired Music Educator Service Award” from the Arizona Music Educators Association. In January of 2012, she was the recipient of the Sierra Vista Mayor’s Arts Award for individual contributions to the arts in Sierra Vista.
A Pigtail's Tale