George N. Parks

George Nathan Parks
Parks speaking to students during Band Day in 2009
Born	George Nathan Parks (1953-05-23)May 23, 1953 Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Died	September 16, 2010(2010-09-16) (aged 57) Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, U.S.
Resting place	St. Brigid's Cemetery (Hadley, Massachusetts) 42°22′21.80″N 72°32′57.91″W / 42.3727222°N 72.5494194°W / 42.3727222; -72.5494194
Residence	Amherst, Massachusetts
Education	Christiana High School West Chester University of Pennsylvania Northwestern University
Occupation	Band director Music teacher
Years active	1977–2010
Employer	University of Massachusetts Amherst
Organization	George N. Parks Drum Major Academy
Known for	Drum major instruction, Tuba performance, Director of the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band
Spouse(s)	Jeanne Parks
Children	Michael, Kathryn
Parent(s)	Norman and Vesta Parks
Awards	World Drum Corps Hall of Fame Bands of America Hall of Fame

George Nathan Parks (May 23, 1953 – September 16, 2010) was the director of the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band at University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1977 until 2010. He also led the George N. Parks Drum Major Academy, a summer workshop program for high school drum majors that he founded in 1978.

Parks was born on 23 May, 1953 in Buffalo, New York and grew up in Newark, Delaware graduating from Christiana High School in 1971, along with being a Drum Major. He earned a bachelor's degree from West Chester University, where he was the drum major in the West Chester University Golden Rams Marching Band. At West Chester, Parks was initiated into the Rho Sigma chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. After college he earned a master's degree in tuba performance at Northwestern University.

Parks made his first appearance on the national scene as Drum Major of the award-winning Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps. He helped lead the Buccaneers to two DCA Championships, in 1979 and 1980, and received numerous individual honors, including eight DCA Championship Drum Major Awards. In 1976, while working as a graduate assistant under John P. Paynter at Northwestern University, he was instrumental in bringing the first color guard/flag corp to the Big Ten.

In 1993, Parks was inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame, for recognition of his work in the field of drum corps and mace technique.

Parks became the director of the University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band in 1977 at the age of 24, and built upon a strong program that had been headed by John Jenkins. Parks was a professor in the Department of Music and was the recipient of the university's Distinguished Teacher Award in 1989 and the Chancellor's Medal for Distinguished Service in 1997. The University's Alumni Association named him an honorary alumnus in 1997. At the time of his death, he was director of the band alongside Assistant Director Thom Hannum.