Amy Parks - Cuyahoga Community College

Amy Parks, M.M.
Associate Dean, Creative Arts
Amy Parks serves as the Associate Dean for Creative Arts. She oversees
academic programs in eight disciplines across three of Tri-C’s campuses.
Prior to joining Tri-C, Ms. Parks was the Dean of the Levine School of
Music in Washington DC, one of the largest community music schools in
the United States. As the school’s academic leader, she ensured the
delivery of high-quality, accessible arts education programs to nearly 3,000
students throughout the DC metropolitan region.
Ms. Parks has served as an Accreditation Visitor for the National
Association of Schools of Music (NASM). In demand as a public speaker,
she has presented at the National Meeting of the NASM and was the
featured lecturer for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Symphonic Explorations Series at
Strathmore Hall. Ms. Parks has served as a frequent panelist and adjudicator for VSA, the
international organization on the arts and disability.
Ms. Parks’ commitment to arts education has led her to a variety of teaching positions. She has
served as a horn instructor at the Peabody Preparatory, a lecturer for Peabody’s nationally
recognized Elderhostel program, and a Visiting Artist with the Baltimore Symphony’s Arts Excel
Education Initiative. She has held teaching positions with Harford Community College and the
Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestras.
An accomplished hornist, Ms. Parks has performed with the Baltimore, Harrisburg, Delaware,
Arlington (VA), Lancaster, and Key West Symphony Orchestras. Ms. Parks' solo appearances
have included a nationally televised awards ceremony in Taiwan, concerto performances
throughout the mid-Atlantic, and multiple appearances at the Kennedy Center.
Ms. Parks received her Masters of Music from the Peabody Conservatory, and her Bachelors of
Music from the University of Delaware, where she was the top music graduate of her class. She
is the recipient of a Congressional Achievement Award, the Panasonic Young Soloists Award,
and a Philadelphia Music Foundation Grant.
Speech Topics:

What to Listen For in Music: Most of us enjoy music, but don’t know as much about it
as we’d like. Have you ever wished you knew a little bit more about the music you hear?
This talk will examine different musical elements, ensembles and styles, helping you to
more fully enjoy your next concert.

Music as Social Commentary: As with any art form, music necessarily reflects the
world in which it is created. Some of the greatest music ever written draws its power
from its insight into our society. Examine examples of such pieces and discuss their
importance, from Beethoven to the present day.

The Arts and Creative Thinking: Today’s society seeks innovators, problem solvers,
those who “think outside of the box”. How do we develop this ability, in ourselves and in
today’s students? Explore the arts as an avenue not just for personal expression, but to
increase our capacity for creative thought.

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