Simone Parker

Simone Parker teaches piano, violin and viola at her independent studio, Sparkling Keys and Strings, and joined the Austin Peay State University (APSU) department of music faculty as an adjunct instructor in 2012. Since Spring 2015, she offers group and individual sessions in the Alexander Technique.

 

In 2014, Simone Parker became a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM), accredited through the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) and in 2010, she was awarded the Excellence of Teaching Award from the APSU-Community School of the Arts. The award recognizes Simone Parker for her continuous and consistent dedication to realizing the very best from her students, teaching them that in music as in life, great endeavors bring great rewards.

 

Mrs. Parker currently is the principal pianist at the Paducah Symphony Orchestra and regularly accompanies and performs with students in her independent studio, other community studios, and APSU music students. In the past she has been a church pianist/accompanist and has been the music director for a local church. During the Summer, she presents various summer camps and has been actively involved with the APSU Piano and String Summer Camp.

Simone Parker has earned a Bachelor of Arts (magna cum laude) in Piano Performance and a Master of Music (with honors) in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy at Austin Peay State University (APSU). There, she studied piano and composition with Dr. Jeffrey Wood and piano pedagogy with Dr. Patricia Halbeck. Simone Parker has participated in Master Classes with Awadagin Pratt, John Roberts and Ilya Poletaev, William Bennett and the Claremont Trio. She has further studied accompanying with Dr. Mary Alice Domenica, Dr. Eunbyol Ko and Anne Glass. On the violin and viola, she has studied with Dr. Emily Hanna Crane, Alvaro Gomez and Douglas Droste.

 

Mrs. Parker continued her professional study with Sally Ahner, a certified Alexander Technique (AT) teacher, and graduated from a three year teacher certification process with the Chesapeake Bay Alexander Studies Program. The Alexander Technique is a practical discipline to develop body and mind coordination and to create ease of movement and flexibility. To fund her AT studies, she has received the MTNA Teacher Enrichment Grant and Phi Kappa Phi Love of Learning Award. In Fall 2015 she became a certified Alexander Technique teacher accredited through the professional organization Alexander Technique International (ATI).

 

As a native of Germany, Simone Parker speaks fluent German and English. While living in Germany, she has earned a Bachelor degree in International Business Administration from the Berufsakademie Mosbach - Bad Mergentheim. The degree was coupled with a student internship at an international renowned company.