Flutist.
Teacher.
Performer.
It is time to elevate what you have been learning in school band class. Individualized attention is the BEST way to improve EVERYTHING about your playing while challenging yourself to make progress successfully. All my school band teachers shaped so much of my education, but my private teacher took the flute to a place that I didn’t even know existed when I was younger.
Together we will
- Find a radiant tone
- Learn how to make those fingers fly
- Break down rhythms into easy-to-understand fragments
- Expose you to tons of new musical pieces that will challenge and excite you
I have some vivid memories of my early musical life to share with you. What I thought would be a quick find in the local yellow pages (before the internet) took me years to find the right private flute teacher for me.
My elementary school band director, Mr. Weber, sent me home with a contact list of suggested private teachers after my family reached out to him for some help. Some people returned our calls but surprisingly, many people did not even get back to us.
That's when I knew that I wanted to not only become a private teacher myself but make sure that local flutists never had that issue.
We tried a few teachers out, but the personalities just didn’t mesh. There had to be someone out there that was the right fit.
After some trial and error, we did land on someone, but his primary instrument was the saxophone. Something about our relationship clicked and I started regular weekly lessons with Mr. Cacese. He is the person that taught me how to count and understand rhythm.
Something was still wrong though. I progressed very quickly but noticed my flute playing was advancing above Mr. Cacese’s, so the search continued. This was a point in my life that I was so thankful for my middle school band director because he encouraged me to keep working hard on my own while I was looking for a new private instructor.
A few years later and by chance, I was purchasing music in a local store. Another customer noticed what I was buying and asked me if I was studying the flute with anyone. I wasn’t at the time and that random stranger gave me the number of their former teacher - Wendy Kumer.
I reached out to get started in lessons with Wendy and that was when EVERYTHING CHANGED.
Let me be the teacher that you might not have even known you were looking for!
Dan Parasky is a passionate flutist and dedicated educator. Founder of The Parasky Flute Studios (est. 1999), his students have achieved success in numerous competitions and performed internationally. He is an adjunct faculty member at Duquesne University.
A sought-after clinician, Mr. Parasky has presented at national/international flute conferences and at universities nationwide covering pedagogy, flute choir, studio management, giving master classes and has been the featured artist at flute day forums/festivals.
As an active performer, Mr. Parasky is a soloist, chamber musician, and guest conductor with a focus on contemporary music. He has performed with the National Flute Association (NFA) Professional Flute Choir, the International Low Flute Choir and as a guest soloist with the TRYPO Wind Ensemble. He has guest-conducted various honor flute ensembles for the Flute Society of Washington D.C. and the NFA. During his tenure as the Convention Flute Choir Coordinator for the NFA annual conventions, he initiated and significantly expanded the Flute Ensemble Festival.
Parasky holds degrees from Boston University and Duquesne University and resides in Pittsburgh, PA. He is a Wm. S. Haynes Artist, performing on a custom 10k/14k gold flute and an alto flute and piccolo from the Haynes-Amadeus line.
Check out my full resumeMy non-flute life...
I am married to my high school sweetheart Jackie. Marching band brought us into each other's lives. We love the outdoors, cooking, and all things about staying organized.
I am an avid runner that came to the sport late in life. I started training about 5 years ago and ran my first full marathon in November 2019 in Las Vegas.
Video games are my passion (especially retro 80’s games) but nowadays you’ll find me sneaking in some Destiny after teaching lessons. Honestly, anything nerd culture is my thing...especially Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
3 cats round out our household...meet Willow, Lily and Daisy.
