At age 10, James Parr’s parents enrolled him in clarinet lessons after he expressed a passion for music and a strong desire to play. This passion has been a driving force behind Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Ensemble J.D. Parr’s 35 years at Baker University.

Since the fall of 1981, Parr has been an iconic fixture in the Department of Music and Theatre. His reserved humor and distinct articulation are just a few the qualities his students and colleagues will miss when he officially retires at the end of the 2015-2016 school year.

“It was a hard decision to make, to retire,” he said. “I really like my job, but I just turned 65 a few weeks ago … I’ve been given tentative approval to continue on as an adjunct and still teach lessons here at Baker, and the rest of the faculty here at Baker will pick up the other parts of my job … I’ll still be here.”

Teaching at Baker

Addressing the audience, retiring Jazz Ensemble Director J.D. Parr donned a pair of sunglasses to get into the Blues Brothers spirit during the Chris Grubb Memorial Jazz Scholarship Concert in April.Khadijah Lane

When he was 30 years old, with a masters in music education, he was hired by Baker University as an assistant professor of music. This was the only job he had applied for at the time, and he was content with it.

A few years later, he grew less content with his work and reignited his passion for music by going back to college to get his doctorate. With his renewed focus, he returned to Baker and dived back into his work.

Despite that short mid-life crisis, Parr said he has always found fulfillment and satisfaction working at Baker over the past 35 years.

“I am very gratified by watching the progress of students, watching students’ succeed,” he said. “All it takes is one student about every other year writing me a sentimental, heart-felt note, and I am motivated for two more years. We do not get much of that touchy feeling kind of feedback from students but once in a while someone will write me a handwritten note, or a former student will send me an email, and those are really highly appreciated and they carry me a long way.”

He says that he thinks the reason that he has thrived and stayed so long is the variety he enjoys while teaching at Baker.

“Every day is different. There is no rut, no tedious routine to my weekly schedule. It is always different, and I’ve enjoyed that … I have just always enjoyed it here and had great support. It’s been a really good job and only one time did I think about leaving,” he said. “So you could say I am kind of stuck in a rut, or you could say I am really loyal. I am really loyal, because Baker has been really loyal to me.”

His legacy

At the Guest Artist Jazz Ensemble Concert, special guest Ken Peplowski and director J.D. Par embraced at the end of the concert in November of last year.Photo by Chris Ortiz

Parr’s love for jazz music is well-known in the Department of Music and Theatre. But lesser known is his love of polka music and his hobby of playing the button accordion.

“Because I don’t play it in front of people, very often people just can’t stop smiling,” he said. “Maybe it is because it is me and they are just so surprised that I can play this instrument and sing these tunes, polkas, at the same time. It sort of makes me the life of the party, whether I want to be or not.”

One member of Jazz Ensemble, junior Tyler Sams, says that he is going to miss having Parr as his teacher and that things will not be the same after he leaves.

“Meeting Dr. Parr for the first time was a treat. I’d never met a man like him,” Sams said. “I love his sense of humor, and I am going to miss having him in jazz band. I would love going to jazz band just to hear what he had to say. You don’t get that anywhere else.”

Parr’s jazz students have even started a hashtag, #parrforpope, as a running joke and sign of their admiration.

Chair of the Department of Music and Theatre Trilla Lyerla also is sad to see Parr go, but she is happy that he will still be around.

“J.D. Parr is an exceptional musician, teacher, and colleague, and his contribution to the success of Baker’s music program over some 35 years is immense,” Lyerla said. “It is a lot of fun working with him, and I couldn’t be more pleased that he will continue teaching applied woodwinds lessons as an adjunct for Baker University in his retirement.”

Parr plans to continue playing principal clarinet in the Topeka Symphony, as he has for the past 27 years. He also hopes to continue teaching at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan this summer, which he has done for 33 years.

To wrap up the year, the Office of Alumni Relations has organized a Baker Band Alumni Reunion honoring 40 years of band history on Saturday, May 21, at 2 p.m. in Rice Auditorium. This event will both celebrate Parr’s retirement and be a reunion for past band directors and students.

“I am flattered that I get to be sort of the center of attention, because I am retiring, but it is more than just a retirement party for me. It is a true band reunion if we’ve ever had one,” he said. “We just hope that a bunch of old Baker band musicians come back and see their old band director, whether it be me or any of the other guys.”