​TIGER MAPLE STRING BAND​

Alison Parker

 

Alison Parker was born and raised in the small town of Edinboro, Pennsylvania.  She spent much of her childhood playing outside in the woods, reading books, and at music festivals.  There was not a day in the Parker household without playing or listening to music.  This upbringing translated into a love of not just music, but also science, math, problem solving, and wanting to contribute to making the world a better place.  Alison learned to play the violin at the age of six, starting with the classical Suzuki method, which is focused on the idea of learning by ear and the beliefs that music grows an admirable heart.  She got into old-time and bluegrass through her father and from attending the Blue Heron Music Festival every summer, starting year one when she was just a baby.  At the Heron, the Parkers met Keith McManus, which is where they first learned to fiddle from taking his workshops.  Alison, along with her sister Justine, continued on their journey of studying the fiddle, attending summer intensive workshops in West Virginia and learning from of the best old-time fiddlers, such as Bobby Taylor.  Along with Bobby, some of Alison's musical influences include Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Donna the Buffalo, Maggie Rogers, Tommy Jarrell, John Morris, Joe Thrift, and Bob Dylan.  Alison earned her bachelors degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, and recently graduated with her masters degree from Duke University.