Marian E. Smith Faculty Achievement Award
Gregory W. Yasinitsky
Meyer Distinguished Professor of Music and Coordinator of Jazz Studies
School of Music
Marian E. Smith Faculty Achievement Award 2007
Dr. Gregory W. Yasinitsky is nationally and internationally known as a composer, arranger and saxophonist. Under his leadership, the Washington State University Jazz Studies Program has received widespread recognition, invitations to perform at prestigious conferences, and top awards at major festivals.
Dr. Yasinitsky’s instructional accomplishments were exceptional for the 2006-07 academic year. Several of his students won first place individual awards and his WSU Jazz Big Band won a first-place award at the 2007 Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, the largest event of its kind attracting more than 10,000 students from across the United States and Canada. One of Dr. Yasinitsky’s students, John Gronberg, was featured as a trumpet player and composer in the October 2006 Jazziz magazine education issue, a top international publication. Two of his students published jazz ensemble compositions with Walrus Music. Dr. Yasinitsky acted as Composer-in-Residence at Lincoln Middle School, a role which was funded by the Commission Project of New York.
Washington State University is truly honored to be able to recognize Dr. Gregory W. Yasinitsky for his outstanding instructional accomplishments.