05/30/2026
We would like to welcome Parker Worden as our Director of Athletic Bands.
Parker Worden, originally from Peculiar, Missouri, is a passionate musician and educator working with students and ensembles throughout Kansas City, northwestern Missouri, and southern Iowa. A diverse musician and multi-instrumentalist, Worden has participated in, taught, and led musical ensembles of all ages and experience levels and across nearly every genre of music.
Before entering higher education full-time, Worden worked as a public-school band director, primarily at North Andrew, a rural school in Rosendale, MO, where he taught band, jazz, and guitar at all levels. He also held a concurrent position as Assistant Director at Northwest Missouri State University where he helped teach and direct the Bearcat Marching Band, Bearcat Pep Band, and Northwest Symphonic Band. Most recently, he served as artist in residence and director of bands at Graceland University, where his duties include conducting the Graceland Symphonic and Jazz Bands as well as teaching music theory, history of Western music and jazz, conducting, and music education courses.
His research is focused on providing musical opportunities to underserved populations such as rural students and the elderly, as well as innovating small school music education. Worden earned his Master’s in Music Education from the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory and holds several bachelor degrees and certifications from Northwest Missouri State University. He is a member of CBDNA, Iowa MEA, Missouri MEA, and NAfME, and is a proud brother of both Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Kappa Kappa Psi.
In addition to teaching and performing, Worden enjoys hiking, traveling, and gardening with his wife Courtney and their dogs Hildegard and Kiddo, cheering on his hometown sports teams, and losing to his students at video games.
