Hriday Parikh is a senior music education student at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) with focuses in composition, performance, and music technology. He primarily plays clarinet and bass clarinet but has also played saxophone and flute. At the College, he has been a part of various ensembles such as the wind ensemble, wind orchestra, orchestra, jazz ensemble, clarinet ensemble, and pit bands for musicals. In his study of clarinet with Joshua Kovach, he has been an active member of the clarinet studio and in 2024, won the annual concerto competition, performing Geraldine Green’s bass clarinet concerto with the TCNJ Orchestra. As part of his composition studies, he had the opportunity to give world premieres of two original compositions with the wind ensemble and a chamber orchestra in the Fall of 2025. Currently, he teaches clarinet privately, is working as a teaching fellow with the Eastern Winds Symphony Youth Band, and is super excited to teach woodwinds at the Big Bang Music Center! His teaching goals are aligned with the individual needs of the students. Collaboratively with his students, he aims to provide them with tools to advance in their unique musical journey and make life-long connections with and through music.