George N. Parks

George N. Parks (May 23, 1953 – September 16, 2010) was the director of the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band at University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1977 until 2010. He also led the George N. Parks Drum Major Academy, a summer workshop program for high school drum majors that he founded in 1978.

Early life and education

Parks was born on 23 May 1953 in Buffalo, New York and grew up in Newark, Delaware. He graduated from Christiana High School in 1971, and was the Drum Major of the high school's marching band.^[1] He earned a bachelor's degree from West Chester University, where he was the drum major in the West Chester University Golden Rams Marching Band.^[2] At West Chester, Parks was initiated into the Rho Sigma chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.^[3] After college he earned a master's degree in tuba performance at Northwestern University.^[2]

Career

Drum corps

Parks made his first appearance on the national scene as Drum Major of the award-winning

In 1993, Parks was inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame, for recognition of his work in the field of drum corps and mace technique.[6]

University of Massachusetts

Parks became the director of the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band in 1977 at the age of 24, and built upon a strong program that had been headed by John Jenkins.^[4] Parks was a professor in the Department of Music and was the recipient of the university's Distinguished Teacher Award in 1989 and the Chancellor's Medal for Distinguished Service in 1997.^[7] The University's Alumni Association named him an honorary alumnus in 1997.^[8][9] At the time of his death, he was director of the band alongside Assistant Director Thom Hannum.^[10]

George N. Parks Drum Major Academy

Parks founded the George N. Parks Drum Major Academy, a summer program to train high school drum majors. Each summer, over 3,000 students attend the Band Leadership Training Seminar and Drum Major Academy.^[4][11]

Other work

In addition to his work at UMass Amherst and with his Drum Major Academy, Parks worked regularly with

Parks and his wife, Jeanne, married in 1979 in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. They have two children, Michael and Kyle.^[9]

Death and legacy

Parks died from a

Earlier in the day, Parks had been complaining about neck pain, and paramedics were called. According to Gary Guenther, chief investigator for the Summit County Medical Examiner, "When they got there, they checked him out," he said. "Mr. Parks apparently said he was feeling better and refused to go to the hospital." At the time of his death, he was en route to Ann Arbor, Michigan with the band for a football game on September 18 between UMass and the University of Michigan.^[14][15] He was honored on Homecoming Day on October 16, 2010 by current and former band members and staff. This included a performance by the alumni band, which included approximately 1,300 participants, the largest the university had ever seen.^[16][17]

Awards and honors

Parks was inducted into the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association Hall of Fame, the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame, The Bands of America Hall of Fame, and the Buccaneers Hall of Fame. Additionally, he received the Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity Distinguished Service to Music Medal, in the field of marching band, in October 2008.^[18] Parks was initiated into the Epsilon Nu chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity as an Honorary Member and the Delta Delta chapter of Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority as an Honorary Member.^[7][9]

The George N. Parks Minuteman Marching Band Building at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, which officially opened on Homecoming Weekend in November 2011, was named in Parks' honor.^[19] The name was chosen a year before his death and announced in Parks' presence at the groundbreaking in October 2009.^[20]

Following his death, Massachusetts Governor