Robert Parris (21 May 1924 – 5 December 1999) was an accomplished composer and music professor known for his innovative approach to orchestration.

Born in Philadelphia, Parris pursued his education at the University of Pennsylvania before continuing his studies at the Juilliard School in New York City. His teachers included notable figures such as Otto Luening, Aaron Copland, Jacques Ibert, and Peter Mennin; however, he often remarked that their influence on his own compositional style was 'minimal.' Following a year of study in Paris on a Fulbright Fellowship—where he was expected to work with Arthur Honegger, though encounters were infrequent—he spent a year teaching at the University of Washington in Seattle. In 1952, Parris established his residence in the Washington, D.C. area, and in 1963, he joined the faculty at The George Washington University, where he taught music theory and composition.

Identifying himself as a 'colorist,' Parris preferred to compose for small ensembles or for a single instrument with piano or orchestral accompaniment. His first significant international recognition came in 1958 with the premiere of his Concerto for Five Kettledrums and Orchestra, performed by tympanist Fred Begun and the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Howard Mitchell. Renowned for pushing instrumental capabilities to their extremes, Parris's compositions often challenged performers; his solo violin sonata is notably difficult, and the composer-directors of CRI initially deemed his trombone concerto unplayable until they heard a recording of it. Despite these challenges, Parris's inventive orchestration made works like the Concerto for Five Kettledrums a favorite among audiences, particularly for its melodic appeal. The last movement of this concerto features a traditional hymn, reminiscent of Copland's Appalachian Spring, with the kettledrums taking the lead on the hymn's initial statements and dramatic conclusion. Interestingly, Fred Begun, who premiered the piece, had jokingly suggested the idea of using five kettledrums.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Parris also engaged in music criticism, contributing to The Washington Post and the Washington Evening Star. During this period, he self-studied Spanish and drew inspiration from Jorge Luis Borges, leading to the creation of Book of Imaginary Beings (Part I) in 1972, which is scored for flute (piccolo), violin, cello, piano, celeste, and percussion. Part II followed in 1983.

A revival of the Concerto for Five Kettledrums and Orchestra in 1983, performed by the National Symphony Orchestra under Mstislav Rostropovich, garnered significant acclaim, prompting renewed performances of his Concerto for Trombone, first debuted in 1964, by the NSO in 1985. This success ultimately led to Parris's largest commission, the Symphonic Variations, which premiered in 1988 to widespread praise. A retrospective concert of his works at The George Washington University in the same year prompted Washington Post music critic Joseph McLellan to recognize Professor Parris as “one of (Washington’s) major music assets.”