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Biography
Thomas Parchman, clarinetist and saxophonist, began his career as a band student in the Memphis, TN public schools. His first teacher was Frederic Lubrani, a former member of the Cincinnati Orchestra, who was teaching at Memphis State University. While in high school, he was First Chair of the Tennessee All-State Band, and Principal Clarinet in the All-State Orchestra.
After winning a scholarship, he attended Southern Methodist University. There he studied with Ross Powell, a member of the Dallas Symphony. He attended various summer music festivals, including Aspen Music Festival, where he won the Wind Concerto Competition.
After completing his Bachelor of Music [with Honors] at SMU, Mr. Parchman attended Northwestern University. NU had the finest clarinet faculty in the country at the time, made up of Robert Marcellus [who had recently retired from the Cleveland Orchestra], Clark Brody [then Principal of the Chicago Symphony], and Larry Combs [then Assistant Principal of the CSO]. Marcellus was his primary teacher, but he also studied with both Combs and Brody. As a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra, he had weekly sectionals with members of the CSO section, as well as Master Classes.
Mr. Parchman's first full-time orchestra position was as Bass Clarinet for the Orquesta Sinfonica de Xalapa in Xalapa, Mexico. One of the oldest orchestras in Mexico, it performed 42 weeks a year mostly programs of large symphonic works, broadcast nationally. The orchestra toured nationally and made several recordings. After a short time in the orchestra, he was promoted to Assistant Principal and Bass Clarinet.
Mr. Parchman left Xalapa to become of member of the Long Beach Symphony and the Long Beach Grand Opera. During this time he was accepted into the Doctorate Program at the University of Southern California where he studied clarinet with Mitchell Lurie and saxophone with Douglas Masek.
He came to Maine in 1984 as a result of a joint search between the University of Southern Maine and the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Parchman holds the rank of Associate Professor at USM, and has been the Principal Clarinetist with the orchestra since his arrival. As a clarinetist and saxophonist, he performs music in a variety of styles from concerti, sonatas, chamber music, orchestra, ballet, and opera. He has been a member of the Spoleto Festival Orchestra since 1982, regularly performing with the finest musicians in Europe and the Americas. Dr. Parchman also holds the Bass/3rd Clarinet position in the Rhode Island Philharmonic.
Dr. Parchman is active in developing music in the Portland community, taking part in joint projects between the Portland Symphony and Portland Schools, performing in small ensemble concerts, and giving demonstrations, clinics, and master classes. HIs students are active performers and teachers in their communities, which range from teaching in the schools of northern Maine, to being a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
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