ACC Faculty Spotlight: Charles Haarhues
Let's get to know Charles Haarhues, ACC Music and Music Audio Technology Program Chair and faculty member.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in Colorado, but I mainly grew up in the midwest. From the time I was 12 I lived in Champaign, Illinois, so I say that is where I grew up. I've been playing guitar since my teenage years (mostly jazz, rock, and R&B). I was also very heavily involved in the music of West Africa for about 15 years. I consider some of my greatest musical mentors to be composer Oscar Sulley, jazz pianist Henry Butler, and composer Dinos Constantinides.
I earned my Bachelor's and Master's degrees at Eastern Illinois University and my PhD at Louisiana State University. I am married to Mayumi Yotsumoto from Kanoya, Japan. We go back there every summer.
What do you teach?
Music
How long have you been at ACC?
I started Fall 2006. I've been at ACC for 18 years
How long have you been teaching?
I started teaching guitar lessons in the mid 1980s. I started teaching at the college level around the year 2000.
What is your favorite thing to teach?
I love teaching anything associated with music. Currently I teach computer music, audio production, and music composition.
Why did you choose teaching?
Being a musician, seeing young musicians grow and develop has always been my motive and my joy. Also, I grew up in a college town (Champaign-Urbana, Illinois), so I have been around higher education almost my entire life. There is nothing better, especially when it is learning and teaching music.
Why did you choose ACC?
After graduating from Louisiana State University, I moved to Colorado and began looking for a teaching position. Dr. Hidemi Matsushita of ACC Music offered a job to both me and my wife (who teaches voice).
Are you a part of any clubs / organizations / committees at ACC or outside of ACC? What are they and why did you choose them?
I am currently the vice-president of the Evergreen Jazz Festival board. I am also a member of the College Music Society and the Audio Engineering Society. At ACC, I am a member of the Perkins Advisory Committee and the Music Audio Technology advisory board. I don't know if I'm an official member of the graduation committee or not, but I supply the pianist and piano for the graduation ceremony.
What is your mountain (ultimate goal)?
To continue to grow and develop to the utmost of my ability for the rest of my life. To set a goal that is always just beyond my grasp so I'm never satisfied.
What has been your biggest accomplishment so far?
My biggest accomplishment at ACC is creating and leading the Music Audio Technology program. Seeing the program and its students grow and succeed over the years has been my greatest satisfaction.
What's your favorite ACC memory so far?
There are many. Bringing the jazz pianist Henry Butler to perform at ACC, producing the ACC CD Ambient Domains, working with and getting to know so many talented ACC music faculty, instructors, and students over the years.
Tell us a fun fact about you / Something about you that might surprise people.
When I retire, I plan to move to Japan (my wife's home country), so I am studying Japanese.
Top 5 Bands / Musicians
Frank Zappa
Jim Hall
Miles Davis
King Crimson
Igor Stravinsky
(Not necessarily in that order)
What is your advice to future and current students at ACC?
Find what your passion is and do everything you can to grow as an individual within that passion.
Do you know a student, staff member, faculty member, instructor, or alumni that you would like to nominate for an ACC Spotlight? jessica [dot] horning [at] arapahoe [dot] edu (Let us know!) Or if you would like to be spotlighted on the ACC blog, complete our Spotlight form.