In Memoriam: Dr. Jesse Parker

Dr. Jesse Parker, co-founder and music director of Voices 21, passed away unexpectedly on June 8, 2024, one month shy of his 66th birthday. Dr. Parker volunteered his considerable talents to Voices for 24 years. Under his leadership, Voices 21 sang multiple concerts per season, resulting in a music library of almost 600 works meticulously selected and programmed by Dr. Parker, including several commissioned pieces by prominent composers. While the group performed mainly in Washington, D.C. and Maryland, it also performed elsewhere in the United States, throughout Europe, and in Central America. Dr. Parker will be remembered by the members of the group as a consummate musician who was dedicated to bringing out the best in his singers. While rehearsals were hard work, they also were filled with the joy of sharing music, insider stories, and laughter from Dr. Parker’s quick wit. Many members of the group considered those sessions something akin to music therapy. We were fortunate to have Dr. Parker in our lives and, through his talent, have a way to share our combined love of music with others. He will be greatly missed.  

“Music, when soft voices die, 
vibrates in the memory …
And so thy thoughts, when thou art gone,
Love itself shall slumber on.” 
―Percy Bysshe Shelley

Memorial Service

Saturday, July 6, 2024 at 2pm

Potomac United Methodist Church
10300 Falls Road Potomac, MD 20854