ABOUT ME.

Parker Gaims is a Washington D.C.-based clarinetist and composer. As a clarinetist, he has performed at the Kennedy Center, the White House, and other venues throughout the D.C. metropolitan area. He was a featured soloist at the 2019 International Clarinet Association Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee. Before living in D.C., Parker had performed with the Chicago Chamber Musicians and served as the Bass Clarinet Teaching Assistant at the Brevard Music Festival in North Carolina. Parker received his Bachelor of Music in clarinet performance from DePaul University in 2011 and his Master of Music, also in clarinet performance, from Northwestern University in 2013. Parker has been a clarinetist in “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band since September 2013. Parker’s compositions have been performed by the United States Marine Band, Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, DePaul University Wind Symphony, Northwestern Clarinet Faculty, DePaul Clarinet Faculty, the Los Angeles Symphonic Winds, pianist Winston Choi, and members of every D.C. service band. Two recent works were premiered at the 2016 International Clarinet Association conference in Lawrence, Kansas. He won the Kleinman Composition Competition in 2010. Parker’s clarinet teachers include Steven Cohen, Julie DeRoche, Larry Combs, J. Lawrie Bloom, Wagner Campos, and Geoff Nudell. While at DePaul, Parker studied composition with Dr. Kurt Westerberg and Dr. Fredrick Gifford. Parker is a native of Los Angeles, California.