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David Parker

David Parker, president of The Greater Charleston Magic Club, was named
“Magician of the Year” by his peers at the South Carolina Association of
Magicians convention in Columbia, S.C on January 14, 2006.

Mr. Parker of Ladson, SC and
president of The Greater Charleston Magic Club, was honored with the “Magician
of the Year for South Carolina 2006” on January 14, 2006 at the International
Gala Show hosted by the South Carolina Association of Magicians in Columbia, SC.
The South Carolina Association of Magicians awards this honor to those they
believe best advance the art of magic in a positive direction.

David Parker, whose full time job has been as a local truck driver within the
South Carolina State Ports, says he is honored to receive this award from his
peers and is humbled to have his name associated with some of the past winners.
Past winners of this honor include: Tim Sonifelt from Greer, SC, Mick Ayres form
Hilton Head, SC, John Tudor from Columbia, SC, David Tanner and Ron Conley from
Myrtle Beach, SC.

Each of the past winners of the award had made their mark in the field of
magic. Tim Sonifelt was the first person to receive the “Magician of the Year”
award. He is a full time magician who performs throughout the southeast for
churches, libraries and corporations. Mick Ayres is an all around entertainer.

A
full time magician, storyteller and musician working for the Disney Corporation
in Hilton Head, SC. John Tudor the founder of the South Carolina Association of
Magicians and the first magician ever to be listed as an approved artist with
the SC Arts Commission is a full time magician performing for schools and
corporate clients though out of United States.

Ron Conley, owner of Conley’s House of Magic, who has been performing his
“Drugs, Strangers and Other Dangers Show” in over 300 schools in North Carolina
and South Carolina has won over thirty three trophies in both close-up and
stage. David Tanner, owner of Broadway Magic, has performed all over the United
States and over 20 countries around the world. David is an avid collector of
magic memorabilia. His collection includes rare items such as the handcuffs and
keys once used by the great Harry Houdini.

David Parker, the newest member to receive this honor is the first magician
in the history of the award to receive it as an amateur close-up magician and
also the first winner from the Charleston, SC area. David says, “I’m proud I can
bring this award to “The Holy City” for the first time and hope Charleston, SC
will become a focal point for magic along the east coast.

The Spoleto festival
is a great annual event for the arts and I hope to inspire magicians around
South Carolina to come together to add their performing skills to this event.
Currently I’m working with the local society of magicians in Charleston to
produce a show for this annual event, and we have directors from all over the
state committing their time and resources to help turn this dream into a
reality.”

When asked about the art that is his passion David says, “Our art form is a
strange blend of entertaining, inspiring wonder and…

David Parker

When asked about the art that is his passion David says, “Our art form is a
strange blend of entertaining, inspiring wonder and keeping secrets. For me it’s
under the watchful eyes of people only a few feet away. Challenging their senses
of what is real and what is possible. It’s a great deal of fun as we share a
mystery, some laughter, and build a common connection with brief moments where
all is possible and all the worries of the day are melted away and
forgotten.”

David Parker born in Portsmouth, Va. and now father of three children has
been performing magic since the age of ten when his Aunt Sissy gave him a magic
kit full of the wonders of the universe, or so it seemed for a boy of ten.

“I
remember my family and their friends being totally amazed from the tricks I did
for them. This gave me a sense of empowerment for the first time in my life, I
knew something they didn’t and I held the secrets. Here I was a sickly kid with
asthma so bad that I almost died a few times from severe attacks and now adults
were flocking around me to see my newest mystery. It was a great feeling.

As important as that first magic kit was as a child, it was when I read a
book from the school library about Harry Houdini that started my non-stop
reading frenzy about the history of magic and the performers, I was hooked. My
Grandfather also fueled my passion by teaching me some great close-up magic and
later at around fifteen a meeting with my Uncle who was a true phantom of the
card table.

He made his sole living by traveling across the United Stated playing poker
at high stake games. He showed some of the secrets from the underground world of
gambling. Today at 83 he still talks about the old days of poker and the methods
he used to remove the “fish” from their money. I’m amazed I’m still studying and
learning how to perfect my art some thirty-six later, that’s how great and
diverse the art of magic is.”

David has been taught by some of the best close-up magicians in the
world.

“I can not recall how many professional magicians I’ve learned from, it’s
been too many to list. This year I received instruction from Tony Griffith from
England in an all day master class in Columbia. “Tony is a true professional, a
total gentleman and a master of our art. Discussing close-up magic with him was
a pleasure and we plan to stay in touch, which is a great honor to me.

“Now that the convention in Columbia is over and the excitement has settled
down a bit what’s next for South Carolina’s Magician of the Year?

“I plan to
continue to perform for local charities as I have done in the past and to
promote the society of magicians here in the Charleston area. We have some big
goals, which include holding a magic convention here in Charleston, forming a
magic club for kids from ten to seventeen and advancing the art with
instructional classes.

“As for myself I’ve started an entertainment agency geared to the hospitably
and restaurants businesses here in Charleston to provide quality entertainment
with some of the finest magicians within the state. I want to help more people
see and experience our art of astonishment and recall how it feels to once again
see the world though the eyes of a child there everything is magical.”

For information about The Greater Charleston Magic Club and to contact David
Parker, check Charleston’s web site here or call Mr. Parker directly
at (843) 532-9541.

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