T. Duncan Parker

T. Duncan Parker’s professional life is defined not by a single discipline but by a diverse range of musical engagements, from dueling pianos to church services.

A native of the Chicago area, Parker has been performing for nearly 15 years, beginning his career playing in bars around 2010 or 2011. He was later introduced to the dueling pianos company Felix and Fingers, where he has worked full-time since 2014. 

“It is a crazy, fun way to make a living,” Parker said.

In addition to his work with Felix and Fingers, Parker is the director of contemporary worship at a Lutheran church in Arlington Heights, Illinois., and serves as an accompanist for several schools. With a master’s degree in musical composition and theory, he also takes on contractual composition work. 

As a musician, he notes, it is rare to have just one job, and his diverse career keeps his schedule full of performances every weekend and various duties during the week.

What Parker finds most compelling about the dueling piano gigs is the improvisational nature of each performance. The set list is determined entirely by audience requests, ensuring no two shows are the same. 

“Every time I step on stage, you kind of never know what somebody is going to request,” he said. 

Requests can range from a classic like “Mister Postman” to a modern hit like “Club Can’t Handle Me,” and this unpredictability makes each event unique.

His work with Felix and Fingers takes him to various events, including corporate parties, fundraisers, and weddings. He said playing for weddings is a particular highlight, especially when the dance floor is full and guests are engaged.

Krista Stramel, an Iowa City-based hospitality manager, described Parker and his longtime partner Michael Sherman as both “engaging” and “talented.” 

She added that it is “more than just a performance,” but rather a “full experience” due to their uncanny ability to take song requests and put their own spin on them, or mash them up with other tunes to maintain high energy. 

Stramel, who has hosted Parker for years, said the duo creates “unforgettable experiences” and leaves guests “buzzing with all of that magic.”

Parker said the dynamic interplay with his dueling partner is one of the best parts of the job. He and Sherman are close friends who enjoy playful banter with each other and the audience to get them to sing along. He described the gigs as a “fun community event” that is always different.

Parker has been performing at the same Iowa City venue at the Vue rooftop since before the COVID-19 pandemic and will return for a New Year’s Eve event this year. He praised the atmosphere in Iowa City as consistently positive, noting that the staff is excellent and the venue is beautiful, making it a perfect setting for people to come together for a great time.

Michael Sherman

Michael Sherman always found himself inclined to the performing life, no matter if it was through theatre productions or playing an instrument in front of a crowd. This passion of creating something others would enjoy is part of what led him to his line of work in dueling pianos.

Throughout most of Sherman’s life, he has been surrounded by music. He discovered early he was quick to learn how to play songs he enjoyed listening to on an instrument. 

“I’m just the kind of guy who, growing up, I could hear a song on the radio and just play it,” Sherman said. “I didn’t really realize that was a skill you could turn into your career.”

Sherman has worked with the dueling pianos company Felix and Fingers for about 13 years. Alongside being a pianist for the company, he works on the backside of the company as one of their sales representatives. 

Though the company spans nationwide, Sherman is currently stationed in Chicago and plays shows within the area. He found his way to the company through a listing on Craigslist. This was before Felix and Fingers had become the large company it is today, back when it was simply run by two people dueling pianos for fun.

Bre Podgorski, Felix and Fingers’ chief operating officer, has been part of the company for nearly four years. Although she is based in California, she once traveled to perform alongside Sherman in a duel. 

“He’s definitely one of our best players, for sure,” Podgorski said. “He’s been with the company since the start, if not, the first player who worked for the company outside of Mike and the cofounder.”

Podgorski works with Sherman behind the scenes more than in piano duels, but she acknowledges how much work he puts into making sure the audience of each show leaves feeling satisfied. 

Going from performing in various theater shows to his own dueling piano gigs to working for Felix and Fingers, Sherman has been on a long journey of doing the things he enjoys. After several years of developing his skills, he has been able to make this fun and unlikely job into something full time.

“What I enjoyed about doing theater was just making people happy. That’s always my thing; I want everyone to be happy, I want everyone to have a good time,” Sherman said. “I really love that element of theater, so [dueling pianos] gives me that same sort of satisfaction, but in a way that I have much more control over what we’re doing. It brings me a lot of joy every day.”