William Thomas Parke

Parke began his musical studies in 1770 under his elder brother John Parke, learning the flute and the oboe; later from William Dance he studied the violin, from Charles Rousseau Burney the piano, and from Charles Frederick Baumgarten music theory.

In 1775–6 Parke sang in the chorus of Drury Lane Theatre, and in 1776 he was regularly engaged there and at Vauxhall Gardens as a viola player.

Parke held his post at Covent Garden for forty years, William Shield occasionally writing an effective obbligato for him.

The Prince of Wales made Parke one of his band at Carlton House, where he met Joseph Haydn.

[3] The Dictionary of National Biography noted that "Parke's tone on the oboe was sweet, his execution brilliant".