Dr. Joe Van Riper is the music department chair and professor of music at Principia College. He is a graduate of Principia and holds a doctorate from George Mason University. Joe has traveled to Europe several times for both performance and research (design of early mechanical instruments). He has also co-directed several Principia Arts on Tour groups within the United States and co-led the 2017–2018 Principia Music Abroad, where he traveled to Paris, Prague, and Vienna.