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Terry Parrish
began teaching at Eagle Mountain / Saginaw in 1985 -
1986 when he was hired as the assistant band director at
Boswell High School. Prior to starting work at EMSISD,
Mr. Parrish began his public school teaching career in
Fairfield, Texas, in 1984. Mr. Parrish was
appointed Director of Bands at Wayside Middle School in
1991.
Terry is a graduate of East
Texas State University where he earned both the Bachelor of
Music Education and the Master of Music degrees. While at
ETSU, Mr. Parrish performed with the Symphonic Band, University
Marching Band, Jazz Orchestra, and Percussion Ensemble.
In addition, he served two years as a University Teaching Assistant,
teaching lessons to under-graduate students, directing Jazz Band II,
and Jazz Improvisation Lab. Influential teachers at ETSU were
Dr. Bob Houston, who ran the jazz & percussion programs, James
Keene who was the band director, and Dr. Gene Lockhart, who taught
jazz history. (This was a fun time in my life...I was
busy at school, learning about music
and photography, while playing saxophone in country bands
and jazz combos! One night, while playing one of those
"gigs,"Terry met his
future wife DEBBIE!)
Before coming to ETSU, Mr. Parrish
spent a short time at Henderson County Jr. College and a couple
of years at Richland College. Tommy Downing and Dale
Kennedy where two of the teachers that played important roles in
Terry's musical education. Mr. Downing gave me my first
scholarship in music at HCJC; At Richland College, Dale Kennedy
taught me how to play clarinet and flute as well as become much
better on the saxophone. (Dr. Kennedy was the
toughest teacher I ever had. He was a fine musician and
conductor and very hard to please. I can remember times when I
would think "I will never be able to do what he is asking me
to do. He would just keep on insisting that I do it
"his way" and eventually I would get it.) Dr. Kennedy knew
I wanted to be a band director, so he gave me little bits of wisdom
and advice on how to do the job...once I got it. I use
those little "jewels" in my teaching every day.
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After ETSU, Terry and new
wife Debbie, traveled to Puebla Mexico for a year of study at
the University de las Americas. While Debbie was in
class, brushing up on her Spanish and learning about Mexican
culture I was spending a lot of time walking around,
taking photographs and working in the University photo
lab. The photo instructor, Sandy, was from New York and
we hit it off right away. She taught me a lot about
photography; so much in fact that I considered becoming a
professional photographer instead of a band director!
("This "self portrait" was taken one day while we were
waiting to catch a ride on the next bus, or by thumb! as we
often did back in those days.")
While at a local
fiesta one night, Debbie met some musicians working in a
"tropical band." The next thing you know, I had a 2-3
night per week gig playing music in Mexico. Although I
usually had no idea what the lyrics were all about, I
could still make my saxophone or flute fit right in with the
music. Did I mention
that they really know how to party in Mexico? Our gigs
would usually start at 10:30 PM and go until at least 3:00
AM! The bass player was also a taxi driver, and he would
pick me up, take me to the job and hopefully bring me home
afterwards. With very little Spanish speaking ability, I
was always "guessing" what would come next. (boy do I have some stories about
traveling, living and PLAYING MUSIC in Mexico!)
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Terry is a 'small
town' kind of guy. He graduated from Terrell High
School in 1976. His
first private teacher was Melba Graham. Her father was
the FIRST band director in Terrell, way back
in the 1920's. One of his students, Bob
Snyder, was Terry's band director at Terrell High School.
(Band at Terrell High School was so much
fun. My old band director, Mr. Snyder was a respected and loved
teacher as well as a fine musician and
singer. When I was a junior, I was appointed
"Student Conductor" for the band. Within a few weeks I
knew exactly what I wanted to do when I
graduated! I wanted to become a band
director! It looks like my dream has come
true, since I became the band director at one of
the best schools in Texas, full of talented and well
behaved students...the students at WAYSIDE MIDDLE
SCHOOL!)
Terry
would also like to mention another fellow named Clifford
Brown. Clifford owed an Exxon gas station in
Terrell and he was an amateur musician on the side. He
played saxophone and the B-3 Organ and did little music jobs
around town. He was famous
for having after hours 'jam sessions' in a little room behind
the grease rack of the gas station. Clifford invited
Terry to hang out with the wild collection of musicians,
some great and some not so great. It was
the great learning experience for getting started as
a professional
musician. |
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I started playing
saxophone in 6th grade just like my students do today. I
took private lessons and spent a lot of time listening to all
types of music and trying to play back what I heard. I
started playing professionally at age 16. Over the years
I have had lots of fun making music all over Texas and the
Southwest. Now, in addition to teaching band, I lead my
own band. We perform at the Hilton Anatole Hotel every
Thursday evening!
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Mr. Parrish is married to Debbie Parrish, (who
teaches Spanish at Highland Middle School). He
has two children; Malissa and Weston. He has lots of
interests! Over the years he has been involved in bicycle
racing, martial arts, photography,
travel, landscaping, fly fishing, various shooting
sports, dog training, softball as a player and umpire. (Mr.
Parrish NEVER gets board!). He loves his family and enjoys
spending time with his parents and grandmother who still live in
Terrell. They, and others who have passed on, have always
stood behind him and been a blessing to him.
"I have had a wonderful life, filled with interesting
people and unforgettable characters. (You will get to hear
stories about some of them). I belive that every experience
and encounter in life is important and that you should never stop
learning from those around you. I value hard work, and
keeping your word most of all. Music is central in
my life...I would be lost without my instruments. I enjoy
teaching kids because you never can tell how far they might take
what you show them. I often say that "teachers live forever
though their students." I have so many people to thank for my
successes. Even some people I have never met, like Melba's
dad. His name was Professor Booth, (I mentioned him above...the
first band director in my home town). He had passed away long
before I was even born, but he had a great influence on me, because
he taught my teachers, and they taught me, and now I am teaching
you...so you see, Professor Booth, and all those that taught him are
still with us to some degree." If I am lucky, one day, you may
teach someone something that I taught YOU!
This summer Mr. Parrish has been busy around the house; taking
his wife to the airport! (she is the world traveler in the family)
and doing lots of bicycle racing. His favorite type of racing
is Time Trailing...called the "Race of Truth" where you ride as fast
as you can against the stopwatch for a certain distance!
"Learning to be fast against the clock is a lot like learning
how to be a good musician...it takes lots of practice and
concentration. You have to be willing to put in the time to
improve your skills and endurance. The hard work is not always
fun, but the result of having a good race or playing a solo at the
highest possible level you can achieve is ALWAYS worth
it..."
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