In Memory: Lisa Parker, Age 88
Lisa Parker, age 88, of Medford, Massachusetts and Ocean Park, Maine, died peacefully, on October 7, 2022, at home in Maine. Lisa was ill for several years with a rare neuro-degenerative disease. She was born on September 17, 1934, in New York City, the last-born of Karl Telford Frederick and Martha Anne Ferguson Moore Frederick. She grew up in Rye, NY with happy summers spent in Washington, CT.
Lisa earned a BA cum laude in music from Smith College in 1956 and a Dalcroze License from the Dalcroze School of Music (New York, NY) in 1957, studying with Dr. Hilda Schuster. In 1962 she received a Master of Music in Conducting from New England Conservatory of Music. In 1965, she was granted the Diplôme, the highest degree in the profession, from L’Institut Jaques-Dalcroze in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1977, Lisa founded the Dalcroze Department at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA and built it into a world-renowned training program for graduate students. She traveled extensively around the world teaching the Dalcroze method. Her mentorship drew many students, particularly those from Europe and East Asian countries, to the program at Longy. Her creativity and natural ability to improvise inspired countless musicians through her many decades as a master teacher.
In 2003, Lisa was awarded the first George Seaman award for excellence in teaching, at the Longy School of Music. Although she formally retired in 2017, she remained an active teacher until disease progression robbed her of the ability to play the piano. Lisa served in numerous leadership roles within the Dalcroze Society of America, including President, Vice President, Chair of the national conference, and editor of the Journal. In 2018, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dalcroze Society of America for her unparalleled contributions to the Dalcroze community, at home and abroad.
Lisa delighted in her many close relationships, taking great joy in laughter, stimulating conversations and shared experiences. She had an infectious sense of humor and a gift for appreciating extraordinary beauty, whether in nature, in the arts and literature, or in the life of the spirit. She was deeply involved in church choirs and spiritual fellowship throughout her life. Lisa was predeceased by her sister Helen Frederick Gray.
She is survived by her brother John Frederick (Princeton, NJ); two daughters, Eden Grace (Ocean Park, ME) and Wendy Parker (Providence, RI); a son-in-law Jim Grace; two cherished grandsons, Isaiah and Jesse Grace; beloved nieces, Alexandra and Sarah Frederick; and a very wide circle of devoted friends. A Memorial Service will be held in the spring of 2023. Contributions in Lisa’s memory may be sent to the Dalcroze Society of America. Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral Home, 365 Main Street, Saco, Maine.
