Alice Parker (born December 16, 1925) is an American composer, arranger, conductor, and

teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

. She has authored five operas, eleven song-cycles, thirty-three cantatas, eleven works for chorus and orchestra, forty-seven choral suites, and more than forty hymns, all original compositions. Also to be noted are wealth of arrangements based on pre-existing

folk-songs Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

and hymns, many of which were produced in collaboration with Robert Shaw. Parker is best known for these kinds of arrangements of spirituals, mountain hymns, and

folk songs Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has be ...

, early-American hymns, and international folk-songs, most notably in French, Spanish, Hebrew, and

Ladino Ladino, derived from Latin, may refer to: * The register of Judaeo-Spanish used in the translation of religious texts, such as the Ferrara Bible *Ladino people, a socio-ethnic category of Mestizo or Hispanicized people in Central America especi ...

Early life

Parker was born in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

to Mary Stuart and Gordon Parker. She studied music theory with Mary Mason at the New England Conservatory, composition and conducting at Smith College and the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

, where she began her long and prolific association with Robert Shaw. The many Parker-Shaw settings of American folk songs, hymns, and spirituals form an enduring repertoire for choruses in many countries around the world.

Musical career

Parker attended Smith College, graduating in 1947 with a double major in organ and composition. She went on to study choral conducting at

Juilliard The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

, then became a teacher while also collaborating with Robert Shaw on arrangements of materials to be recorded by the

Robert Shaw Chorale The Robert Shaw Chorale was a renowned professional choir founded in New York City in 1948 by Robert Shaw, a Californian who had been drafted out of college a decade earlier by Fred Waring to conduct his glee club in radio broadcasts. History ...

, formed in 1948. Parker went on to become the primary arranger for the Robert Shaw Chorale for 20 years. On December 29, 1947, Alice was featured on the cover of

Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely ...

alongside other singers. The chorale disbanded in 1965. In 1954, Parker married Thomas Pyle, a member of the

. They had five children. Pyle died unexpectedly in 1976, leaving her to care for their five children. She moved to western Massachusetts, and, in 1985, she founded Melodious Accord. The Musicians of Melodious Accord is a professional chorus that has released fourteen albums. The Melodious Accord Fellowship Program brings young mid-career musicians from all over the world to study with Parker. She has composed over 500 pieces of music, including operas, song cycles, cantatas, choral suites, and anthems.

Honors and awards

Alice_Parker_conducting_Christmas_Carols

Parker served on the Board of Directors of Chorus America. She was their first Director Laureate. Among her many awards, Parker has received the Distinguished Composer of the Year 2000 by the

American Guild of Organists The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is an international organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the US, headquartered in New York City with its administrative offices in the Interchurch Center. Founded as a professional educat ...

, the 2014

Brock Commission The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization with the stated purpose of promoting excellence in the field of choral music. Its membership comprises approximately 22,000 ...

from the

American Choral Directors Association The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization with the stated purpose of promoting excellence in the field of choral music. Its membership comprises approximately 22,000 c ...

, the

Harvard Glee Club The Harvard Glee Club is a 60-voice, Tenor-Bass choral ensemble at Harvard University. Founded in 1858 in the tradition of English and American glee clubs, it is the oldest collegiate chorus in the United States. The Glee Club is part of the H ...

Foundation Medal in 2015, six honorary doctorates, and the Smith College Medal.http://acda.org/page.asp?page=brock_pieces , Retrieved March 2016 Parker is a Fellow of the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. She has been awarded grants from ASCAP, the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...

, the

Aaron Copland Aaron Copland (, ; November 14, 1900December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Com ...

Fund for Music, and the

American Music Center New Music USA is a new music organization formed by the merging of the American Music Center with Meet The Composer on November 8, 2011. The new organization retains the granting programs of the two former organizations as well as two media progr ...

. Most recently she was honored by the International Emily Dickinson Society for her choral suite Heavenly Hurt. To celebrate Parker's 90th birthday in 2015, choral groups worldwide posted performances of her work on YouTube, as part of a project called Alice Is 90.

Film

The 2020 documentary ''Alice: At Home With Alice Parker'' by

Eduardo Montes-Bradley Eduardo Montes-Bradley is a documentary filmmaker. His most recent works are ''Daniel Chester French: American Sculptor'' and ''Black Fiddlers''. Life Montes-Bradley first appeared mentioned in Margareta Vinterheden's ''Man maste ju leva', Swe ...

, explores the life and works of Parker. It was filmed over the winter of 2020 at her residence in Hawley and in New York City. Produced by HFP in association with Melodious Accord, Inc., the film focuses particularly on the formative years and in the collaborations of Parker with the written works of

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

, Archibald MacLeish,

Eudora Welty Eudora Alice Welty (April 13, 1909 – July 23, 2001) was an American short story writer, novelist and photographer who wrote about the American South. Her novel '' The Optimist's Daughter'' won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973. Welty received numerou ...

and

Emily Dickinson Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massac ...

. ''Alices American premiere was on October 8, 2020, by Chorus America, it was selected to be in the Official Selection, 2020 at the

Virginia Film Festival The Virginia Film Festival is a film festival hosted by the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The festival is held annually, usually in late October or early November. History Cr ...

. Grand Jury Award, Mystic Film Festival, 2021. Distributed by

Kanopy Kanopy is an on-demand streaming video platform for public and academic libraries that offers films, TV shows and documentaries. The service is free for users, but content owners and content creators are paid on a pay-per-view model by the in ...

Arrangements and recordings

(1951–1962 in collaboration with Robert Shaw;

) *1951 ''A Treasury of Easter Songs'' (13 arr.) RCA Victor *1952 ''Christmas Hymns and Carols Vol. II''(22 arr.) RCA Victor *1954 ''With Love from a Chorus'' (9 arr.) RCA Victor *1956 ''My True Love Sings''(15 arr.)RCA Victor *1957 ''Christmas Hymns and Carols Vol. I''(17 arr.)RCA Victor *1958 ''A Mighty Fortress'' (6 arr.) RCA Victor *1959 ''Stephen Foster Song Book''(16 arr.)RCA Victor *1960 ''A Chorus of Love'' (15 arr.) RCA Victor *1960 ''What Wondrous Love''(18 arr.) RCA Victor *1961 ''Deep River'' (2 arr.) RCA Victor *1961 ''How Far Is It to Bethlehem'' (SATB – Four-part Chorus of Mixed Voices, a cappella). By Alice Parker and Robert Shaw and Words by Frances Chesterton. *1961 ''Sea Shanties'' (16 arr.) RCA Victor *1962 ''I'm Goin’ to Sing'' (16 arr.) RCA Victor * 1964 ''Music Reference Crammer'' * 1965 Hymns and Carols. By Robert Shaw and Alice Parker. Twenty-one sacred songs from traditional hymns and carols, and folk hymns and spirituals. Among the composers are Joseph Hayden, Louis Bourgeois,

William Billings William Billings (October 7, 1746 – September 26, 1800) is regarded as the first American choral composer and leading member of the First New England School. Life William Billings was born in Boston, Massachusetts. At the age of 14, t ...

; among the poets are William Kethe,

Isaac Watts Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 – 25 November 1748) was an English Congregational minister, hymn writer, theologian, and logician. He was a prolific and popular hymn writer and is credited with some 750 hymns. His works include "When I Survey the ...

John Newton John Newton (; – 21 December 1807) was an English evangelical Anglican cleric and slavery abolitionist. He had previously been a captain of slave ships and an investor in the slave trade. He served as a sailor in the Royal Navy (after forc ...

. Paperback. 105 pages. Publisher: Lawson-Gould Music Publishers, Inc. (Warner/Chappell); 1st edition (1965), A Robert Shaw Collection. (Alice Parker Arrangements for Robert Shaw Chorale) *1965 ''Sing to the Lord'' (16 arr.) RCA Victor *1967 ''Irish Folk Songs'' (16 arr.) RCA Victor (Alice Parker Compositions with Lucy Shelton and Manhattan String Quartet – Musical Heritage) *1984 ''Songs for Eve'' ( Archibald MacLeish) *1984 ''Echoes from the Hills'' (

) *2006 ''Songs for Eve'' ( Archibald MacLeish). Recorded in Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity, NYC, 1983 (Other Works) *1971 ''The Martyrs' Mirror''. Opera. Composer: Alice Parker. Librettist-Literary Source: John L. Ruth *1975 ''Songs For Eve''. Music by Alice Parker, literary source: a poem by Archibald MacLeish. Publisher: Ocean, New Jersey: Musical Heritage Society, 1985. 72 minutes. *1976 ''The Family Reunion''. A Back-Yard Opera in One Act. Libretto and Music by Alice Parker. Publisher: Melodious Accord. *1976 ''Creative Hymn Singing'' *1978 ''Singers Glen''. (

Opéra Bouffe Opéra bouffe (, plural: ''opéras bouffes'') is a genre of late 19th-century French operetta, closely associated with Jacques Offenbach, who produced many of them at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens, inspiring the genre's name. Opéras bouff ...

). An opera in a Prologue and Two Acts. Composer: Alice Parker. Librettist-Literary Source: Alice Parker. Place: A Homestead in the Shenandoah Valley known as Singers Glen. Character:

Joseph Funk Joseph Funk (1778–1862) was a pioneer American music teacher, publisher, and an early American composer. He invented a shape note system in 1851 for the Harmonia Sacra. Funk was born April 6, 1778 (though his gravestone states March 9, 1777) ...

, his children, The Bishop, Aunt Martha, Susan Ruebush, Jacob Baer, and other children. Premiered on April 1, 1978. Directed by Hiram Hershey. *1982 ''Listen, Lord''. A Cantata, Two Suites, and Five Spirituals in choral settings by Alice Parker. Gothic Records. Cat. G 49219. Recorded with The Musicians of Melodic Accord. Alice Parker, conductor. Pamela-Warrick-Smith, contralto. *1982 ''The Ponder Heart.'' Opera. Composer: Alice Parker. Librettist-Literary Source: Alice Parker and

. Premiered in

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...

, Mississippi.Opera:'Ponder Heart' has World Premier".By Edward Rothstein

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

September 13, 1982 * 1985 ''Folk Song Transformation'' * 1985–1988 ''Sacred Symphonies''. The Musicians of Melodious Accord; Alice Parker, conductor. Recorded at the Church of the Holy Trinity, New York City, September 29 and 30, 1985. Engineering: David Hancock. Published CD, 1988 Amreco, Inc; Copyrighted by Musical Heritage Society. *1989 ''Spiritual Songs'' – Musical Heritage – Recorded in the Church of the Holy Trinity, NYC, 1988 *1991 ''Transformations'' – Musical Heritage – Recorded in the Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity, NYC, 1990 *1991 ''Melodious Accord: Good Singing in Church'' *1991 ''The Shaw-parker Book of Christmas Carols: Twenty-four Collected Carols for Unaccompanied Mixed Chorus.'' With Robert Shaw. Paperback.176 pages. Publisher: Hal Leonard. . *1994 ''Take Me to the Water''. Thirteen New Spiritual Arrangements. Pamela Warrick-Smith,

contralto A contralto () is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range is the lowest female voice type. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare; similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to that of a countertenor, typica ...

; The Musicians of Melodic Accord; Alice Parker, conductor.

GIA Publications GIA Publications, Inc. is a major publisher of hymnals, other sacred music, and music education materials. Headquartered first in Pittsburgh and now Chicago, GIA is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. GIA originally stood for Gregorian Insti ...

, Inc. CD-329. Recorded in Chapel of Riverside Church, NYC, 1994 *1999 ''Sweet Manna'' – GIA – Recorded at the Church of the Resurrection, NYC, 1998 *2003 ''My Love and I''. The Men of The Musicians of Melodious Accord Conducted by Alice Parker. Love songs arrange for a chorus of men including compositions from America, England, Scotland, France, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Ireland, and the United States. The recording was partially supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Music published by Lawson-Gould, Inc. Gothic Records. G 49213 *2004 ''Listen, Lord'' – Gothic Records – Recorded in Middle Collegiate Church, NYC, 2003 *2005 ''O Sing the Glories''. Alice Parker and the Musicians of Melodious Accord. Seventeen Anthems Composed and Arranged by Alice Parker. GIA Publications, Inc. CD-633 *2007 ''Anatomy of Melody: Exploring the Single Line of Song.'' Hardcover. 216 pages. Publisher GIA Publications. .Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches *2007 ''Family Reunion'' – Melodious Accord – Recorded in James Chapel, Union Theological Seminary, 2003 *2007 Hand-Me-Down Songs. Folksongs for children from the American tradition. Researched and arranged by Alice Parker. Produced by James Heiks. Gia Publications, Inc. Includes such tunes as

Michael, Row The Boat Ashore "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore" (also called "Michael Rowed the Boat Ashore", "Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore", or "Michael, Row That Gospel Boat") is a traditional African-American spiritual first noted during the American Civil War at St. Hele ...

Old Dan Tucker "Old Dan Tucker," also known as "Ole Dan Tucker," "Dan Tucker," and other variants, is an American popular song. Its origins remain obscure; the tune may have come from oral tradition, and the words may have been written by songwriter and perfor ...

She'll Be Coming 'Round The Mountain "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" (sometimes referred to as "Coming 'Round the Mountain") is a traditional folk song often categorized as children's music. The song is derived from the Christian spiritual known as "When the Chariot Comes". ...

, and others. *2008 ''Angels and Challengers'' – Melodious Accord – Recorded at Union Theological Seminary, NYC, 2001 *2009 ''Singers Glen'' – Melodious Accord – Recorded at the

Academy of Arts and Letters The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 300-member honor society whose goal is to "foster, assist, and sustain excellence" in American literature, music, and art. Its fixed number membership is elected for lifetime appointments. Its headq ...

, NYC, 2007 *2010 ''Saints Bound for Heaven'' – Melodious Accord – Recorded in

Park Avenue Christian Church The Park Avenue Christian Church is located at 1010 Park Avenue at 85th Street, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The building houses the Park Avenue Christian Church (The Park) congregation of the Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ ...

, *2009 ''Singers Glen'' – Melodious Accord – Recorded at the Academy of Arts and Letters, NYC, 2007 *2010 ''The Ponder Heart'' – Melodious Accord archival DVD – Recorded in the Federated Church Charlemont, MA, 2010 *2011 ''Transformations'' – re-released by Melodious Accord – Recorded in Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity, NYC, 1990 *2012 ''And Glory Shone'' – Melodious Accord – Recorded in Park Avenue Christian Church, NYC, 2012 *2014 ''Where Heart and Heaven Meet'' – GIA – Hymns from Melodious Accord Hymnal – Recorded at Avatar Studios, NYC, 2014 *2010 ''The Melodious Accord Hymnal'' Paperback. 194 pages. Publisher: GIA Music. *2013 ''Melodious Accord: Good Singing in Church'' Paperback. 114 pages. Publisher: Gia Publications, Inc. . *2014 ''The Answering Voice: The Beginning of Counterpoint.'' Hardcover. 128 pages. Publisher: Gia Publications, Inc. . * 2016 ''Alice Parker's Hand-Me-Down Ballads.'' co-author James Heiks. 56 pages. Publisher: Gia Publications, Inc. . * 2017 ''Heavenly Hurt: Songs of Love and Loss.'' Poems by

. Seven songs for mixed chorus with cello and piano. Eugene Friesen, cello; Paul Vasile, piano. Commissioned by Da Camera Singers of Amherst, MA, Sheila L. Heffernon, conductor; first performance May 29, 2013, in Charlemont, Amherst, and Northhampton. The Gothic Catalog. Number: G-49310. * 2019 ''The Melodic Voice: Conversations with Alice Parker.'' By Cameron LaBarr and John Wykoff. Hardcover, 345 pages. GIA Publications. The book includes access to more than three hours of video interviews with Alice Parker.

References

External links

Alice Parker's official homepageAlice Parker papers
Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries {{DEFAULTSORT:Parker, Alice Living people American women music educators 1925 births American women classical composers American classical composers Musicians from Boston Smith College alumni Juilliard School alumni Women conductors (music) Classical musicians from Massachusetts 21st-century American conductors (music) 20th-century American conductors (music) 21st-century American women musicians 20th-century American women musicians American women hymnwriters