Andrew Parker, oboe

orchestral portrait of Andrew Parker, in white tie and tales, holding the oboe.

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Andrew Parker, assistant professor of oboe at the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas Austin. Here he tells us stories of his crossroads in pursuing piano or oboe, the importance his early teachers had on his musical life, dealing with performance anxiety, and the great transformative summers at Kinhaven Music School.

Andrew Parker, oboe
In this episode we are chatting with assistant professor of oboe at the Butler School of Music, Dr. Andrew Parker.

Andrew Parker posing at Kinhaven music school with current students, and teacher, Mary Watt. — Andrew with the Kinhaven oboe class, and Mary Watt, oboe faculty at Kinhaven Music School

Pedagogy

Dr. Andrew Parker is currently Assistant Professor of Oboe at the Butler School of Music. Previously he was Assistant Professor of Oboe at the University of Iowa. Andrew has provided master classes throughout the country at such institutions as the University of Michigan, Temple University, Rice University, the University of Florida, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Luther College, Mannes Preparatory Division, and the University of Virginia to name a few. He has been the guest artist at several double reed events around the country in addition to co-hosting a Double Reed Clinics and Competition for 5 years at the University of Iowa. He also served as an adjudicator for the National Youth Orchestra, hosted by Carnegie Hall.

Andrew Parker standing in front of a piano with his studio of students at the University of Iowa. — Dr Parker with his studio at the University of Iowa

Performance

Andrew maintains a rich career as an orchestral musician, soloist, and chamber player and addition to his experience as a teacher. He has appeared as a guest artist with the Quad City Symphony and the Great Falls Symphony. He recently performed the world premiere of an oboe concerto, Pillars or Creation, with the University of Texas Wind Ensemble. He has also played in many orchestras in North America, including the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Florida Orchestra, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, the Richmond Symphony, Orquesta Sinfonica de Mineria, the Ann Arbor Symphony, the Flint Symphony, the New Mexico Symphony, the Santa Fe Symphony, the Great Falls Symphony, and the Plymouth Symphony. Andrew is currently the principal oboe of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra.

Summer Festivals

In addition to his collegiate teaching and performing experience, Andrew has also taught and coached chamber music at various international music festivals, including the Round Top Music Festival, Oboe Fest in San Juan, FEMUSC festival in Brazil, the Hartwick Festival in New York, and the Kinhaven Music School in Vermont. In 2009 he was appointed the English horn Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival; a position he maintained for four seasons. In his tenure as English horn fellow, Andrew performed under the baton of several notable conductors.

Recordings

Andrew’s solo album, The Singing Oboe, was released under the MSR Records label in 2014. The album was featured as cd of the week on the Boston station 99.5 WCRB . He recently recorded an album of works for oboe, bassoon, and piano with Benjamin Coelho and Alan Huckleberry to be released on the MSR Records label. He has also recorded a cd of Handel trio sonatas with Nancy Ambrose King.

After receiving his Bachelor’s degree at the Eastman School of Music and Master’s degree at Yale University, he finished his doctoral studies at the University of Michigan.

Group photo of former graduates of the Eastman school, posing on stage at Eastman with their teacher, Richard Killmer. — With fellow Eastman graduates at Richard Killmer tribute

Andrew’s primary teachers have been Jeannette Bittar, Richard Killmer, and Nancy Ambrose King. He has also studied with Elaine Douvas and Robert Walters.