Florida State University percussion professor John W. Parks IV is really passionate about the importance of teaching and learning the "right way" and this becomes a recurring theme throughout this remarkable conversation.

Topics:

• John's musical background
• Trophy hunting in music education and putting the students first
• The type of students John brings to FSU and how he disarms "problem" students
• Use the local college to find a percussion teacher to come into your band room.
• Qualities necessary to becoming a successful teacher and having a plan!
• Teach skills, not pieces
• Percussion resources for teachers
• 2000 Eastman Wind Ensemble Japan tour
• Garnet House Productions
• Why college football coaches need to stop cursing so much!

Links:

• Daniel's Orchestral Music
• Raynor Caroll: Symphonic Repertoire Guide for Timpani and Percussion
• Black Swamp Percussion Videos
• Vic Firth Percussion Videos
• John teaches the Porgy and Bess xylophone solo
• Percy Grainger: Irish Tune from County Derry
• Anthony Iannaccone: Sea Drift (Mvmt I)
• 2017 Orange Bowl Bet with Jonathan Ovalle
• Garnet House Productions
• John W. Parks IV

Biography:

John W. Parks IV, Professor of Percussion at The Florida State University, holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Northwestern University, and Furman University and has studied with Patricia Dash of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, John Beck of the Rochester Philharmonic, Michael Burritt, Paul Wertico (formerly of the Pat Metheny Group), and John Beckford. He is artist/clinician for Malletech, Avedis Zildjian Cymbals, Black Swamp Percussion, and Remo. ​ Parks made his Carnegie Hall solo recital debut in Weill Recital Hall in May of 2007, and has performed with diverse performing organizations ranging from the Eastman Wind Ensemble on their 2000 tour of Japan and Taiwan and the Schlossfestspiele Orchestra of Heidelberg, Germany to the Kansas City, Alabama, Key West, Jacksonville, and Tallahassee Symphony Orchestras as well as the Florida Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, and Eastern Music Festival Faculty Orchestra. Dr. Parks also leads the FSU Percussion Ensemble, winners of the 2007 and 2011 Percussive Arts Society International Percussion Ensemble Competitions and the subject of four critically-acclaimed recordings (Volume One, Volume Two: Not Far From Here, Volume Three: Ten Windows, and Volume Four: Unknown Kind), and has appeared as performer/clinician at the 2011 Basilica Festival in Belgium, 2009 Thailand Brass and Percussion Conference in Bangkok, three Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinics, twelve Percussive Arts Society International Conventions, NACWPI, National Public Radio, and state MENC conventions. In 2006 he won a university-wide teaching award at FSU, and in 2013 was inducted into the Engineering Wing of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences as a voting member of the Grammy Awards.