Host 2001 BBb in Ellensburg

Larry Gookin has been Director of Bands and Professor of Trombone and Euphonium at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington, since 1981. His fields of expertise include music education, wind literature, conducting, and low brass performance.

Mr. Gookin has ten years of public school teaching in Montana, and Oregon. He has received numerous awards as a music educator and has served as president of the Northwestern Division of CBDNA, as well as the Divisional chairman for the National Band Association. In 1992 Professor Gookin was elected to the membership of the American Bandmasters Association. He is also a member of Pi Kappa Lambda honorary music fraternity, the International Trombone Association, The World Association of Symphonic Bands, the Music Educators National Association, and East Vice President of the Washington Music Educators Association. He was recently elected vice president of Northwestern Division of CBDNA.

Professor Gookin received the Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Montana and the Master of Music degree from the University of Oregon. He is past recipient of the "Outstanding Young Educator" award, the "Distinguished Bandmaster of America Award", the "American Schools Band Director Award", and the "Citation of Excellence Award" from the National Band Association. In 2000 he was elected to the membership of the Washington Music Educators Hall of Fame.

In 1996 Gookin became the Musical Director of the Washington Ambassadors of Music, leading biennial European concert tours with over 150 high school musicians from the State of Washington. The biennial tours include performances in London, Paris, Switzerland, Austria, Venice, Liechtenstein, and Germany. The next tour is scheduled for July of 2002.

Professor Gookin maintains an active schedule as clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor in the United States and Canada. He is former principal trombone with the Eugene Symphony and is currently principal trombone with the Yakima Symphony. He is an educational clinician for Yamaha Corporation of America and is/has been the Conductor for the HPNWBBb for many years.

E-mail: gookinl@cwu.edu