ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Mr. Perau is starting his 17th year of vocal music education, and his 11th year at Red Wing High School. Prior to teaching at RWHS, Mr. Perau taught in Boyceville, WI for one year, and Somerset, WI for five years.

​

Mr. Perau is the director of all of the choirs at the high school, which include 8th grade choir, Mixed Choir, Bella Voce, and Concert Choir. In addition to these choirs, Mr. Perau directs an extra-curricular a cappella ensemble called "Ovation" that meets on Monday evenings and Thursday mornings before school. He also directs the vocal music and the pit band for the annual high school musical.

​

Outside of the classroom, Mr. Perau is involved with several local music ensembles. He directs the Red Wing Community Men's Chorus, The Journeymen Chorus, the First Presbyterian Church of Red Wing's Adult Choir, and sings bass in the award-winning barbershop quartet, "CHORD SMASH!" (yes, that's how it's spelled...). In addition to these ensembles, Mr. Perau adjudicates WSMA music festivals, and serves as a guest choral conductor for local honors choirs and music festivals. In 2025, Perau was awarded the Music Educator of the Year award from the Land O' Lakes District of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

 

Students of Mr. Perau have been selected for many regional and state level honors choirs, have earned many collegiate music scholarships, and have consistently earned high ratings at local Solo/Ensemble competitions. Choirs under Perau's direction have been selected for performance at numerous music education conferences, including WCDA (Wisconsin Choral Directors Association) in 2015 with the Somerset High School Choir, ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) of Minnesota in 2024 with The Journeymen Chorus, and MMEA (Minnesota Music Educators Association) in 2025 with the Red Wing High School Concert Choir.

​

Personally, Mr. Perau is married to Tricia Perau who works in the district as Student Support Coordinator at Sunnyside Elementary. Together, they have three kids, Silas (11th grade), Hazel (8th grade), and Solvi (Pre-School). In whatever free time Mr. Perau has, he can typically be found on the Mississippi river fishing out of his boat or freezing somewhere fishing through the ice. He also is a huge Minnesota Gopher fan, and avid Minnesota Timberwolves fan, and a somewhat pessimistic Minnesota Viking fan.