Parker Gaims

Parker Gaims is a Washington D.C. based clarinetist and composer. As a clarinetist, he has performed at the Kennedy Center, the White House, and other venues throughout the D.C. metropolitan area and was a featured soloist at the 2019 International Clarinet Association Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Before living in D.C., Mr. Gaims had performed with the Chicago Chamber Musicians and served as the Bass Clarinet Teaching Assistant at the Brevard Music Festival in North Carolina. Mr. Gaims received his Bachelor of Music in clarinet performance from DePaul University in 2011 and his Master of Music, also in clarinet performance, from Northwestern University in 2013.

Mr. Gaims has been a clarinetist in “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band since September of 2013. His compositions have been performed by the United States Marine Band, Northwestern University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, DePaul University Wind Symphony, Northwestern Clarinet Faculty, DePaul Clarinet Faculty, the Los Angeles Symphonic Winds, pianist Winston Choi, and members of every D.C. service band. Two recent works were premiered at the 2016 International Clarinet Association conference in Lawrence, Kansas. Additionally, he won the Kleinman Composition Competition in 2010.

Mr. Gaims’ clarinet teachers include Steven Cohen, Julie DeRoche, Larry Combs, J. Lawrie Bloom, Wagner Campos, and Geoff Nudell. While at DePaul, Mr. Gaims studied composition with Dr. Kurt Westerberg and Dr. Fredrick Gifford. Mr. Gaims is a native of Los Angeles, California.

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This composition is presented in an unofficial capacity and neither “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, the U.S. Marine Corps nor any other component of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government has endorsed it.