Composer, conductor Alice Parker to visit BGSU

BOWLING GREEN, O.—Renowned composer, conductor and lecturer Alice Parker will be at Bowling Green State University Monday-Thursday (Feb. 9-12). Parker is the 2008-09 Helen McMaster Endowed Professor in Vocal and Choral Studies.

As part of the four-day residency in the College of Musical Arts, she will present “SINGS,” a master class on melody for directors and singers, at 7 p.m. Wednesday (Feb. 11) in Bryan Recital Hall of the Moore Musical Arts Center. The session is free and open to the public.

Parker graduated from Smith College with a major in music performance and composition, and then received her master's degree from the Juilliard School, where she studied choral conducting with the late Robert Shaw.

She came to prominence through her arrangements and collaboration with Shaw, who once said Parker “possesses a rare and creative musical intelligence.” Their arrangements of folk songs, hymns and spirituals form an enduring repertoire for choruses all around the world.

In 1985, she founded the Melodious Accord Inc., a 16-voice professional chorus that presents choral concerts and sponsors workshops and symposia. Parker has made 11 acclaimed recordings with the group, which has received generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Copland Foundation and the New York State Council for the Arts.

Parker serves on the board of Chorus America and was recently honored by the Eastern Division Convention of the American Choral Directors Association.

###

(Posted February 05, 2009 )