Alice Parker: American Choral Composer, Arranger, and Educator

This investigation is an in-depth examination of Alice Parker's philosophy of music in relation to choral teaching, arranging, and composing. The author proposes that within the context of multi-cultural American music, Alice Parker's unique approach to music making and how it is manifested within her choral compositions, arrangements, and teaching techniques is a signi­ficant and valuable area of study for music educators, music students, and administrators. The research illuminates how Parker's philosophy of music encompasses many effective historical philosophies of music education as well as current trends in successful music education. The scope of the study includes a detailed analysis of Parker's philosophy of music within three of her diverse choral compositions and arrangements and an in-depth exami­nation of her unique method of song leading, known as a SING. The author concludes that Ms. Parker's multi-faceted approach to music making prompts questions for further research into more comprehensive-based, rather than strictly performance-oriented, music education programs. Readers may hear two CDs of an interview with Ms. Parker, conducted by the author, and a DVD of one of her SINGs at www.swic.edu/instruction/music.