Role

:

Conductor

Period

:

Romantic

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Orchestral

 

Major Peter Parkes is a renowned conductor and musician in the world of classical music. Born on August 20, 1942, in the United Kingdom, Parkes grew up in a family that was passionate about music. His father was a brass band conductor, and his mother was a pianist. Parkes started playing the cornet at the age of six and quickly developed a love for music. Parkes attended the Royal Military School of Music in London, where he studied conducting and music theory. After completing his studies, he joined the British Army as a musician and served for 35 years. During his time in the army, Parkes conducted various military bands and orchestras, including the Band of the Royal Corps of Signals, the Band of the Royal Military School of Music, and the Band of the Grenadier Guards. Parkes' talent as a conductor was quickly recognized, and he was appointed as the Director of Music for the Band of the Grenadier Guards in 1980. Under his leadership, the band became one of the most prestigious military bands in the world, performing at various state occasions and events, including the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. In addition to his work with military bands, Parkes also conducted various civilian orchestras, including the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, the Black Dyke Band, and the Brighouse and Rastrick Band. He also worked as a guest conductor for many orchestras in the UK and abroad, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, and the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. Parkes' talent as a conductor was recognized with numerous awards and accolades throughout his career. In 1992, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to music. He was also awarded the Freedom of the City of London in 1995 and the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh in 2000. One of the highlights of Parkes' career was his work with the Grimethorpe Colliery Band. In 1994, he conducted the band in the film Brassed Off, which tells the story of a colliery band in Yorkshire during the 1984 miners' strike. The film was a critical and commercial success, and the soundtrack, which featured the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, became a best-selling album. Parkes' work with the Grimethorpe Colliery Band also led to one of his most memorable performances. In 1995, the band performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London as part of the BBC Proms. The performance was a tribute to the miners who had lost their lives in the mining industry, and Parkes conducted the band in a moving rendition of the hymn Abide with Me. Parkes retired from the army in 1998 and continued to work as a freelance conductor. He also worked as a music consultant for various organizations, including the Royal Military School of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music. Sadly, Major Peter Parkes passed away on February 28, 2013, at the age of 70. His legacy as a conductor and musician lives on, and he is remembered as one of the most talented and respected figures in the world of classical music.

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