About

Dr. Don N. Parker, a native of Washington D.C., has been involved in total percussion playing in a variety of styles and genres. Over the years, Don has performed with artists such as Ellis Marsalis, Marchel Ivery, James Polk, Mark Whitfield, Ray Barretto, Oliver Lake, Buster Cooper, the Arianna String Quartet, and Jeff Jarvis to name a few.

He has served as a clinician, and a guest conductor for many conference band and percussion clinics in South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas, Maryland, Washington D.C., Texas, Missouri, New Jersey, and the Carolinas (North and South). He was a faculty member of the United States Percussion Camp held at Eastern Illinois University (1988-99) and the UNLV Percussion Camp 2000, and hosted two summer percussion workshops at UM-St. Louis in 2000 and 2001. Dr. Parker served as the host and clinician during the Missouri Day of Percussion 2002 at UM-St. Louis featuring drum-set artist Ndugu Chancler.

In 2003, Dr. Parker co-presented a clinic at the Missouri Day of Percussion in Columbia, MO. and taught/performed as a faculty member at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Western Michigan. In 2005 Dr. Parker performed as part of a percussion Ensemble Literature reading Session North Carolina Music Educators, Conferences in Winston-Salem, NC. and presented two clinics as part of the Mississippi Day of Percussion, Jackson, MS. Most recently he presented clinics at New Jersey and North Central/Nebraska Music EducatorsConferences, and co-hosted the 2007 North Carolina Day of Percussion with Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raliegh, NC.

Dr. Parker has appeared as a guest artist/adjudicator at the Augustana College Jazz Festival, The University of Nebraska at Omaha Jazz Festival, DePauw University, Greenville College, The University of Texas at San Antonio, the University of New Mexico, The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), Tennessee State University, and the Austin Jazz and Arts Festival. Most recently he was featured at the Columbia Basin College Jazz Unlimted Festival in April 2006. Dr. Parker has performed with the modern American music group out of St. Louis, Synchronia, and the St. Louis Brass Band. For the past four years, he performed with African American Jazz Caucus Big Band at the International Association for Jazz Education Annual Conference.

Dr. Parker currently performs contemporary and traditional chamber literature with his trumpet/percussion duo, Double Take, which has a self-titled CD through PL Productions and his jazz vibes and piano duo, The Haydon/Parker Duo, which has a CD on the ACA Digital Recording Label, entitled “My Foolish Heart”. Both recordings have received favorable reviews by the Percussive Arts Society and the International Trumpet Guild. Double Take has recently commissioned several prominent composers for pieces to record on a 2nd second CD during the summer of 2007. Don is also a principal timpanist/percussionist with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.

Prior to his appointment at Fayetteville State University as Assistant Professor of Music (Percussion), he also held positions at University of Missouri - St. Louis, Chadron State College (Nebraska) and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. At all of these institutions, he successfully wrote grants for cultural, equipment, and research projects through organizations such as the Nebraska Arts Council, NewBlom Foundation, the Title III Federal Program, and the City of St. Louis.

After completing his B.M. in Performance and Music Business from DePauw University in Greencastle, IN., he completed his M.M. and a D.M.A. in Percussion Performance from the University of Texas in Austin. Dr. Parker holds membership in Percussive Arts Society (PAS), International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE), MENC, NCMEA, African American Jazz Caucus, and American Federation of Musicians (AFM). Many of the activities Dr. Parker has undertaken have been supported by his endorsements from Sabian Cymbals, Sonor Drums, Mike Balter Mallets, Calato Regal Tip Sticks, Remo World Percussion, LP Music Group, Dynasty Marching Percussion, and Ross Mallet Instruments.

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Dr. Sheryl Linch-Parker, Assistant Professor of Music (High Brass and Music Education) has actively pursued a career in the field of trumpet performance and music education since she started playing the trumpet. Prior to her appointment at Fayetteville State University, she has taught as a band director for the Hazelwood Public Schools (St. Louis, MO.) where she directed five elementary bands for the past three years. Her ensembles have been invited to perform at Powell Symphony Hall for the E. Desmond Lee Music Collaborative and the State PTA conference in 2002.

As a performer, Dr. Linch-Parker currently performs contemporary and traditional chamber literature in the trumpet/percussion duo, Double Take, which has released a new self-titled CD through PL Productions (DT001). Double Take has presented numerous concerts/clinics throughout the Mid-West and has received favorable reviews from the Percussive Arts Society and The International Trumpet Guild. Double Take has recently commissioned several prominent composers for pieces to record on a 2nd second CD during the summer of 2007. Dr. Linch-Parker also plays trumpet in the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and the Boulevard Brass Quintet.

Dr. Linch-Parker has served as a presenter at the local, state and national levels in the areas of music education and research. She recently co-presented and published a paper entitled “Improving Learning and Reducing Costs: New Models for Distance Learning and Online Courses” with Dr. Robert Elliott of Tennessee State University at the 2005 National Association of Schools of Music Annual Meeting in Boston MA. Dr. Linch-Parker presented several clinics and workshops at the North Central/ Nebraska Music Educators 2006 Conference in Lincoln, NE. Dr. Linch-Parker maintained an active private studio for trumpet students throughout her career.

Dr. Linch-Parker also taught at Chadron State College as an Associate Professor of Music where she taught music education methods courses in addition to supervision of music student teachers. She taught studio trumpet to music majors, minors, and served as the Music department chair for four years. She also taught in the Callaway School District as K-12 music teacher several years prior to pursuing further education.

Dr. Linch-Parker has a B.A. in Music Education from The University of Nebraska at Kearney and a Master of Music in trumpet performance from The University of Arizona in Tucson. Dr. Linch-Parker holds a Doctorate in Music Education (D.M.E.) from the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley. She currently holds memberships in MENC, NCMEA, ITG, and serves as collegiate advisor for FSU MENC Student Chapter.

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About Double Take

Formed in the fall of 1994, the chamber ensemble Double Take, Dr. Sheryl Linch-Parker on trumpet and Dr. Don Parker on percussion, provide a unique musical, cultural, and educational experience for audiences of all ages. With the exploration of different sound textures and colors, this ensemble has enticed its listeners with an intensity that reflects an honest approach towards music that all can understand and enjoy. Double Take has had the opportunity to presented workshops and recitals in Illinois, Texas, South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Missouri, Washington D.C., and Nebraska. Most recently the ensemble has performed for the Mississippi Day of Percussion (2003) and FSU 2006-2007 Fine Arts Series, and was featured in clinic at the Nebraska Music Educators Conference in 2006. Double Take released a self-titled CD through PL Productions (DT001) in 2001 and will be recording a 2nd CD of commissioned pieces in the summer of 2007.

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Haydon/Parker Duo

The duo was formed to explore the forgotten traditional and contemporary jazz standards within the framework of the vibraphone and piano. By selecting and arranging tunes for this combination, Geoff Haydon, pianist and Don N. Parker, vibraphonist, create musical textures, which draw the audience into the listening experience. The duo has appeared at several universities and colleges in the Mid-West and the South and has made appearance at the Austin Jazz Festival in September 2001 to end their CD Release Tour of “My Foolish Heart” (ACA Digital JM 10004). The CD has received reviews by the Percussive Arts Society and the Austin Jazz Magazine.

Geoffrey Haydon

A native of Manassas, VA. Dr. Geoffrey Haydon has successfully bridged both classical and jazz styles of performance. He received his Bachelor of Music from the University of Richmond and studied three summers at the Aspen Music Festival. He received his Master of Music and Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Texas at Austin where he studied with Nancy Garrett and Gregory Allen. Currently Dr. Haydon coordinates the piano faculty at Georgia State University in Atlanta where he teaches piano, jazz history and jazz theory. He is active as a classical and jazz soloist and is a member of the Haydon-Lyke Piano Duo, the American Music Trio, The Haydon/Parker Duo (jazz piano/vibes) and the Georgia State Faculty Jazztet. He has performed throughout the United States, in South America, Central America, and Europe. He has performed with well-known jazz artists such as Joe Henderson, Marvin Stamm, Nick Brignola, and Randy Brecker. In addition, Dr. Haydon is in demand as a clinician and adjudicator. He has numerous publications and arrangements with Warner Bros. Music and Stipes Publishing Company. He can also be heard on Cabin Fever, a jazz CD by the McLean-Haydon Jazz Quartet, which is available on the ACA Digital Label.

Don N. Parker

Don Parker, a native of Washington D.C., has been involved in total percussion playing in a variety of styles and genres. Over the years, Don has performed with artists such as Ellis Marsalis, Marchel Ivery, James Polk, Mark Whitfield, Ray Barretto, Oliver Lake, Buster Cooper, and Jeff Jarvis to name a few. Recently Don has appeared as a guest artist at the Augustana College Jazz Festival, The University of Nebraska at Omaha Jazz Festival, DePauw University, Greenville College, and the Austin Jazz and Arts Festival. Don has performed with the modern American music group out of St. Louis, Synchronia, which received 2000 ASCAP/Chamber Music America Award for adventurous programming. Don currently performs with the awarding winning, St. Louis Brass Band and with his trumpet/percussion duo, Double Take, which has released a self-titled CD through PL Productions (DT001). The CD has received favorable reviews by the Percussive Arts Society, the International Trumpet Guild, and NACWPI.

Don is the Assistant Professor of Music-Percussion at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina. After completing his B.M. in Performance and Music Business from DePauw University in Greencastle, IN., he completed his M.M. and a D.M.A. in Percussion Performance from the University of Texas in Austin. After the formal education, Don continues to pursue percussion studies with individuals such as Ndugu Chancler (USC) and Timothy Adams Jr. (Pittsburgh Symphony). Many of the activities Don has undertaken have been supported by his endorsements from Sabian Cymbals, Sonor Drums, Mike Balter Mallets, Calato Regal Tip Sticks, Remo World Percussion, Ross Mallet Instruments, Dynasty Marching Percussion, and LP Music Group.

To order your CD and/or to book the Haydon/Parker Duo for performances and workshops, contact:

Don N. Parker
910-476-1364
don@parkerlinchmusic.com

or

Geoff Haydon at (404) 377-6761

or

ACA Digital Recording Inc. at (404) 284-0948 or
www.blueskycd.com

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