Dr. Don N. Parker serves as Chair and Professor of Music (Percussion) at Georgia College and State University. In 2018, Don performed with Three Rivers Percussion Ensemble (All-Collegiate Directors Group) at the North Carolina Day of Percussion and the All-Star Jazz Combo featuring Mr. Ronald Carter (former Director of Jazz Studies at NIU) as a part of first annual Fayetteville State University Jazz Day. He presented a percussion clinic/masterclass and recital with his trumpet/percussion duo, Double Take at The University of Mount Olive, in Mt. Olive, NC. In 2016, he presented a jazz clinic and concert with his jazz vibes/piano duo, Haydon/Parker Duo at Fayetteville State and Claflin University in Orangeburg, SC as part of a album release tour. Don has served as an artist in resident and guest clinician/conductor for a variety of groups and organizations such the River City Drum Corp, the annual Keeper of the Dreams Celebration in Louisville, KY, The HBCU-NBDC All-Star Percussion Ensemble and H.O.P.E. Summer Percussion Camp at the University of Louisville in Kentucky just to name a few.
Don has performed with the Fayetteville Jazz Orchestra and Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra since 2003 as a featured soloist and serves as principal percussionist. He also performs with his trumpet/percussion duo, Double Take, which released its second CD in 2008 entitled “Atmospheres” featuring commissioned works and his jazz vibes and piano duo, The Haydon/Parker Duo, which released its second CD in December 2015 entitled “Reunion” available on the ACA Digital recordings/ Albany Record. He was the director for the Summer Music Camps @ FSU.
Don contributed a teacher resource guide to “Teaching Music through Performance in Jazz Vol. I“ complied and edited by Richard Miles and Ronald Carter released in 2007 through GIA Publications as well as the most recently release of Vol. II in December 2015. He recently presented a open forum panel discussion at the NASM 2017 conference in Phoenix Arizona entitled “Beyond the Tradition: Preparing the 21st Century Musician at Historical Black Colleges and Universities.”
Dr. Parker holds active membership in PAS, NACWPI, MENC, JEN, and American Federation of Musicians. He has served as President of the NC Percussive Arts Society State Chapter. Prior to Georgia College, Dr. Parker taught and served as Interim Chair/Director of the Fine Arts Series and Assistant Chair at Fayetteville State University, the University of Missouri – St. Louis, Chadron State College (Nebraska) and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Dr. Parker has a B.M. in Performance and Music Business from DePauw University and a M.M. and D.M.A. in Percussion Performance from the University of Texas in Austin. Dr. Parker has endorsements with Sabian Cymbals, Mapex Drums, Mike Balter Mallets, Vic Firth, Remo World Percussion, LP Music Group, and Majestic Percussion. For more information go to: www.parkerlinchmusic.com