WICA presents jazz pianist Aaron Parks on Sunday, Dec. 16 at 4 p.m.

A jazz pianist, composer and bandleader with an international reputation, Parks was awarded first place as a piano soloist in the prestigious Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival’s College Division in February.

After his trio released its debut CD, “The Promise,” they were named 1999 Northwest Emerging Group of the Year and were listed among Seattle’s 1999 Top Ten Noteworthy Jazz Performers.

An alumnus of the Langley Middle School Jazz Band, Parks has been featured on television, on radio, in magazines, and in newspapers, including a front-page story in The Seattle Times in which jazz critic Paul De Barros compared his storytelling and melodic lines to Stan Getz and Keith Jarrett.

In response to Park’s second CD, Paul De Barros commented, “Though prodigies are not unusual in jazz, think of Clifford Brown and Wynton Marsalis. Genius is rare — this kid’s the real thing.”

Park’s was also profiled in September 2000 on a segment for National Public Radio entitled, “Teen Jazz Prodigy,” which aired nationwide.

He also recently joined Marian McPartland on her show, Piano Jazz, also aired nationally on NPR.