Parker Fritz (b. 1997) is an American saxophonist, composer, and educator.
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As a saxophonist, Parker frequently performs chamber music concerts, solo recitals, outreach/educational programs, and collaborations with performers of other instruments. He has participated and surfaced in numerous national music competitions such as the Music Teachers National Association Woodwind and Chamber Music Competitions, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, Coltman Chamber Music Competition, and the North American Saxophone Alliance Quartet Competition. He has participated in masterclasses with internationally renowned musicians including David Maslanka, Nobuya Sugawa, Christopher Creviston, Marco Albonetti, Joseph Lulloff, Johan de Meij, the h2 Quartet, h2/4 Duo, Kaia Quartet, and many others. Parker Fritz is featured on several commercial recordings as a member of the University of Oklahoma Wind Symphony, the Michigan State University Wind Symphony, and the Codex Quartet. In 2021, he was featured as soprano saxophonist on Convergence, the debut album of the Zenith Saxophone Quartet and Zen Duo. In 2022, he was a featured soloist with the University of Oklahoma Wind Symphony, performing William Bolcom's Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Band.

 

As a composer, Parker’s music has been performed nationally and internationally by collegiate students and instructors, freelance performers, and high school/university large ensembles. Parker regularly receives commissions from established professionals and rising artists. His composition accolades include the publication of his percussion ensemble Prevernal by C. Alan Publications, first place in Central Michigan University's Orchestra Composition Competition for his work Hewn from Rough Edges, first place in the 2021 National MTNA Composition Competition for his solo piano work Skyrunning, and first place in the Michigan State University Jere Hutcheson Large Ensemble Composition Competition.

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Teaching is a core aspect of Parker Fritz's professional activity. His private saxophone students have experienced success in state Solo and Ensemble festivals, audition-based honor bands, and summer camps. He is the saxophone teacher and chamber ensemble coach for the Spartan Youth Wind Symphony. Parker has enjoyed guest teaching engagements in both saxophone and composition at the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University. His lecture on managing a dual-sided career has been presented to saxophone and composition studios at universities in Michigan, Oklahoma, and Florida. Parker is on faculty at the Great Plains Saxophone Workshop, where he teaches both saxophone and composition.

 

Parker Fritz regularly performs research in saxophone pedagogy/history and orchestration. He has received several academic and scholarly awards as an undergraduate, including the Presser Foundation Undergraduate Scholar Award, Provost’s Award for Undergraduate Research and Creative Accomplishment, and Centralis Gold Scholarship. His Honors Capstone project at Central Michigan University was titled "Orchestration and Analysis Of Charles Ives’ Piano Music Using Henry Brant’s Theories of Blend and Balance" and included an orchestral arrangement of the second movement of Charles Ives' first piano sonata.

 

Parker holds a Bachelor of Music degree summa cum laude from Central Michigan University and master’s degrees in saxophone performance and composition from the University of Oklahoma. He is currently pursuing doctoral degrees in saxophone performance and composition at Michigan State University. His mentors include John Nichol, Jonathan Nichol, Joseph Lulloff, Evan Ware, Marvin Lamb, Ricardo Lorenz, and David Biedenbender.