Most people use summer as a time to kick back and relax, but for Professor of Music J.D. Parr summer is an opportunity to learn more for his students.
This summer marked Parr’s 25th anniversary to attend the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan where he taught junior high and high school students from all over Michigan for six weeks out of the summer.
Not only is Parr a teacher at the camp, he is the principal clarinetist for the camp’s Festival Band and Festival Orchestra.
Parr said he really enjoys the camp and continues to return to the camp because working with such a talented and experienced staff has led to some of his most gratifying musical moments. It is also a great change of pace from everyday life because there is a level social atmosphere and the camp is away from TV and newspapers.
“I think it helps him gain experiences not available at Baker and makes him a more well-rounded teacher,” junior Rachael Moon said.
Moon has taken classes from Parr for three years.
Parr not only reached an important anniversary at one camp, but thanks to the Professional Development Grant at Baker he had his first experience at the International Symposium for Jazz Composition this summer.
“It really is a good opportunity to hear new music and learn some of the techniques that composers use to write for jazz bands,” he said.
The International Symposium for Jazz Composition is a small convention for people to listen to new music by aspiring jazz composures. It’s also an opportunity for new jazz composers to have their music listened to and to meet with a few older composers that have clinics to talk about different aspects of their success.
“His experience makes him a great teacher and a fun person to learn from,” senior Christy Taylor said, who’s taken classes from Parr for five years.