Robert Parker is the Principal Trombonist of Orchestra Iowa and Second Trombonist of the Quad City Symphony. He has also performed with the Des Moines Symphony, Tallahassee Symphony, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony, and Sinfonia Gulf Coast, among others. An avid educator, Robert serves on the faculties at Bradley University, St. Ambrose University, and Kirkwood Community College. As a soloist, he has performed recitals and presented masterclasses at universities and high school music programs in Iowa and numerous other states.
Robert completed the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree at the University of Iowa in 2018, where he studied trombone with David Gier and Jonathan Allen and tuba/euphonium with John Manning. His doctoral research addressed the trombone quartet genre, including its history, performance practices, and pedagogy. At the University of Iowa, he led the Iowa Trombone Choir as music director. Robert also completed a master’s degree (MM) at Florida State University, and an undergraduate degree (BM) in music education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. His teachers include David Gier, John Drew, Jonathan Allen, and Randy Kohlenberg.