George Parks | Music professor, 57

George Parks, 57, a University of Massachusetts music professor who led the school's Minuteman Marching Band to national prominence, died Thursday of a heart attack after a performance in Ohio.

The 350-member band was on its way to Ann Arbor, Mich., where it is scheduled to perform at Saturday's UMass football game against Michigan. Band members decided that the performance would proceed as scheduled, Jeff Cox, chairman of the department of music and dance, said.

In 33 years under Mr. Parks, the UMass band performed at presidential inaugurations in 1981, 1985, and 2001 and in 1998 won the Louis C. Sudler Trophy, the nation's top honor for a marching band.

The band performed at NFL games and at community events across the country.

Mr. Parks was enshrined in the Bands of America Hall of Fame in 2006.

The tuba and conducting professor was awarded the university's distinguished-teaching award in 1989.

A native of Buffalo, Mr. Parks was a graduate of West Chester University and had a master's of music degree from Northwestern University. - AP