Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Parker
Hi Jacob, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My siblings are really the ones who fostered my love for music. They showed me how to play some four chord songs, let me play Guitar Hero with them, and are the ones who showed me the bands/artists that have largely influenced my current career. When I was in school, I was always a part of every music program, and had the good fortune to have great teachers stay with me after class to teach me more advanced concepts, more within the realm of music theory and music composition. I began a rock band with some of my peers, gigging around town at local bars, coffee shops, whatever we could find, and I had a blast. It was mostly a cover band but we dabbled in writing our own music, which was the first real experience I had co-writing any song. Into college, the band fell apart, and I continued gigging solo. Each show, I tried to improve production value, showcase better more exciting music that always seemed to turn more into progressive rock. I landed in a place somewhere around the style that I’m writing in currently. Some sort of mix between post-hardcore, alternative rock, and folk. My college’s composition department also really helped hone that sound, or at least to better conceptualize what I wanted to write. Now, I spend my time composing, recording and teaching others, and I’m in a place we’re I’m happy yet extremely excited to continue learning, improving, and making more music!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not. College was a weird time for me where my fears of the fruitfulness of studying music were very strong. I was an environmental science and chemistry major for about a year (which I did love), but I couldn’t find myself passionate about turning it into a career. I spent so much of my writing and performing anyway, so eventually I had to tell my family I wanted to change majors. They were skeptical, but supportive, and my mother was definitely the most. She passed away at the beginning of my second year. Writing was weird around then, but now I dedicate much of what I do to her.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in blending hard rock with classical styles. An album with a 12-minute hard rock song, followed by a classical piano waltz, followed by a folk/indie song is my bread and butter, so that’s what I write. I love long-form music, and am certainly not afraid to break song structure convention. I’d rather tell a narrative story than force myself to write a verse-chorus-verse-chorus song. Not that I’m completely against it, and I do write standard music, but it doesn’t fill my albums. It’s much more fun than way. In terms of lyricism, my lyrics tend to the darker side, and often times I write conceptually about apocalyptic scenarios. They don’t stray too far from reality, so I can hopefully keep them relatable, yet still exciting. That’s my goal for them, at the least. Also, I am a one man band (currently). I write, play, and record every part you hear myself, which I am very proud of. Although, gathering other members is definitely in my future, especially for performing full live shows.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thechamberlainchoir.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechamberlainchoir_band/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563060113305
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-parker-794913250
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechamberlainchoir
- Other: https://jparke5199.wixsite.com/website
