14:46

Symphony No. 1: From Ashes is Parker’s largest and most ambitious work to date, completed over the course of four months while balancing marriage, relocation, and the start of his engineering career. The four movements—I. Burden, II. Fracture, III. The Abyss, IV. Deliverance—follow an overarching story of tragedy, struggle, and rebirth. It represents both an artistic challenge and milestone in his growth as a composer. Read more about each movement below:

I. Burden — Adagio doloroso

The symphony begins under the weight of loss. A dark motif emerges in the low winds, moving slowly, almost dragging. Out of this heaviness, a more fragile voice rises, echoing sorrow and longing. Questions grow into conflict, swelling toward a first great outcry, before chaos begins to creep in.

II. Fracture — Allegro agitato

The second movement breaks the ground beneath us. Ideas collide and the music tumbles between direction and disorder. The melodic material is much more unsettling than before. Stability disintegrates into confusion and loss of balance, leaving only fragments in its wake.

III. The Abyss — Largo misterioso

A stillness settles. Sounds drift like echoes in empty space, while a single voice tries to carry hope through the void. The music swells into a moment of internal confrontation. Out of the silence that follows, a light begins to shine. A theme of deliverance emerges — first fragile, then embraced — closing in a quiet chorale that feels less like resolution and more like a promise.

IV. Deliverance — Maestoso e luminoso

From silence comes triumph. A bold fanfare calls the full ensemble together, and fragments from before now unite in clarity. The music turns brighter, stronger, and more certain. What was once shadowed and broken takes flight in full voice. The symphony closes in a majestic celebration—its burdens lifted, leaving only a sense of enduring hope.

5:06

The Mighty Blue Ridge is a cinematic, story-driven work that seeks to capture both the breathtaking beauty and the resilient spirit of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Written in a style inspired by the sweeping imagery of film scores, the music paints a journey through vast landscapes, evoking the grandeur, challenge, and triumph of adventure. 

Premiered by the Clemson University Symphonic Band in March 2025, The Mighty Blue Ridge was the first piece Parker was inspired to write, marking the beginning of his journey as a composer. 

3:00

Crew and the Spirit of the Wolf was commissioned through the Sing Me a Story Foundation, which pairs children facing serious illness with composers who bring their stories to life through music. This piece is based on the imagination of Crew Camp, a young boy with a deep love for the mountains and an adventurous spirit.

Crew’s story follows a journey with his family into the Appalachian Mountains, where they are transported into a Roblox-inspired fantasy world and encounter a wolf. The tale highlights themes of bravery, self-discovery, and the power of connection with nature.

Premiered by the Clemson University Symphonic Band in November 2024, the work stands as both a tribute to Crew’s story and a reminder of the strength found in creativity, family, and courage.

1:33

In May 2025, Parker was commissioned by Dr. Mark Spede, Director of Bands at Clemson University, to compose the new electronic music that plays as the Tiger Band runs onto the field for pregame at every home football game. Unlike his concert works, this project was created exclusively as an electronic mix—his first experience writing beyond winds and percussion. The final track was mixed and produced in collaboration with Hamilton Altstatt at Greatwaves Digital Media, Inc.