George N. Parks, UMass band director, dies after performance in Ohio

Parents Forum
1

<p>George N. Parks, for 33 years the director of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Minuteman Marching Band, died suddenly Thursday at age 57 while traveling with the band in Ohio.</p>

<p>Parks and the 350-member band were staying overnight in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, en route to Ann Arbor, Mich., where the University football team was scheduled to play the University of Michigan on Saturday.</p>

<p>What a huge loss to the UMass and the College Marching Band community.</p>

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<p>It is a huge loss to all the marching community. I have been to his DMA camp and he was amazing.</p>

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<p>My ds attended his second yr at the George Parks Drum Major Academy this summer, with the intention to return next yr…he went to it last yr hoping to learn how to conduct better having been just awarded the drum major role, but he actually learned how to lead from George Parks. He transformed my son into a leader.</p>