Composer, Conductor & Clarinetist
Eli Parrish (b. 2001) is a composer, conductor, clarinetist, and arts advocate whose work blends contemporary creativity with orchestral tradition and community-centric leadership. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Composition at the Manhattan School of Music (NYC), where he studies with Reiko Füting as a Presidential Merit Award recipient. He previously earned a Master of Science in Management from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, specializing in orchestral and artistic administration, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music Composition with Highest Honors from Emory College of Arts and Sciences.
Eli has led performances across the United States and Europe, including appearances at Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli in Cremona, Italy, and with the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra in Zlín, Czechia. His compositions span symphonic, chamber, vocal, and interdisciplinary formats, exploring environmental themes, activism, narrative, and coloristic sound.
Eli currently serves as Music Librarian and House Manager for the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra. His leadership experience includes roles as Assistant Conductor of the Carroll Symphony Orchestra, Director of the Emory Young People's Concert Orchestra, and Operations Manager for the Atlanta Chamber Music Festival. He also founded the Emory Pep Band and is a regularly featured artist with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s public engagement and educational programs.
Eli is a recipient of the Louis B. Sudler Prize in the Arts and the John and Mary Virginia Foncannon Conducting Award. He has participated in festivals such as the Darmstadt Summer Course, the Mostly Modern Festival, and the Sewanee Summer Music Festival. His capstone recital, The Unifying Principles of Performance and Compositional Intent, at Emory University featured seven original works performed by full symphony orchestra and mixed chamber ensembles.