Bio

Jon Parker began his musical studies at the age of 3 on organ. He started his formal classical piano studies at the age of 7 with Joyce Huhgitt, where he can trace his pedagogical lineage to Beethoven. When he was 12, he started learning Jazz piano and by the time he was 15 was playing professionally around the Denver area and Rocky Mountain region. When he was 17, the Jon Parker Trio released their first album titled “One Way” which was produced by Denver’s jazz radio station KUVO. Following the September 11th attacks, Jon enlisted in the Army Bands where he spent 2 years at Fort Knox, and 2 years in Belgium with the NATO Big Band. While in Belgium, he toured extensively throughout Europe and also served as the pianist for the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe where he regularly performed at state dinners for royalty, presidents, prime ministers, ambassadors and senior military officials. He was also music director of the SHAPE Community Theatre which under his direction won Best Orchestra at the 2006 Toppers Awards in Heidelberg, Germany.

Since returning from Europe in 2006, Jon has been active in the Denver music scene as a pianist, composer, arranger and conductor. His compositions have won numerous awards including the 2008 University of Northern Colorado/Greeley Jazz Festival “Best Original Composition” for his piece titled “Quiet Conscience.” As a pianist, Jon was awarded 3rd prize in the 2011 Kathleen T. and Philip B. Phillips, M.D. Jazz Piano Competition in Pensacola, FL and was the winner of the 2011 Lamont Jazz Solo Honors Competition in Denver, CO.

Jon has performed with Gerald Albright, Nelson Rangell, Byron Stripling, Kathie Lee Gifford, Pam Tillis and many others. He holds a B.A. in Music with a History Minor from the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music and is currently pursuing a M.A. in Musicology at Lamont where he holds a graduate teaching position. Outside of music, Jon enjoys spending time with his wife Bonnie, and their 2 boys Noah and Eli.