|
 Gregory W. Yasinitsky, Regents Professor and Director of the School of Music, received his DMA from the Eastman School of Music and his MA and BM at San Francisco State University with additional studies in saxophone with Joe Henderson and composition with Lou Harrison.
Yasinitsky is the recipient of the Washington State University Eminent Faculty Award—the top honor available to WSU faculty. He also received the Marian E. Smith Faculty Achievement Award and was selected to present the 2008 WSU Distinguished Faculty Address. Additionally, Yasinitsky received the College of Liberal Arts Distinguished Achievement Award, the 2005-2008 Edward R. Meyer Distinguished Professorship Award and is the recipient of the William F. Mullen Award for Excellence in Teaching from the WSU College of Liberal Arts.
Yasinitsky was Coordinator of Jazz Studies from 1982, when he joined the WSU faculty, to 2011 and under his leadership, the Washington State University Jazz Studies Program received widespread recognition including awards from Down Beat magazine, invitations to perform at prestigious conferences—including invitations to Jazz Education Network (JEN) and International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) Conferences—and top awards at major festivals.
Yasinitsky has an international reputation as a composer, arranger and saxophonist. He has written music especially for Clark Terry, David Liebman and the USAF "Airmen of Note" big band. Yasinitsky's music has been performed in over 30 countries and he has received grants, fellowships and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Commission Project of New York, Meet the Composer West, ASCAP, Artist Trust, Washington State Music Teachers Association (WSMTA) and the Washington Music Educators Association (WMEA). Over 175 compositions and arrangements have been published by Kendor Music, Warner Brothers, Hal Leonard, Advance Music (Germany), Walrus Music, University of Northern Colorado Jazz Press, Falls House Press, Dorn Music, Daniel Barry Music and Hoyt Editions. Yasinitsky has also accepted numerous commissions for jazz, orchestral pieces, solo works and chamber music.
Selected orchestral and chamber works can be heard on compact discs released by Vienna Modern Masters, Arizona University Recordings and Open Loop Records. Yasinitsky earned degrees at the Eastman School of Music (DMA) and San Francisco State University (MA, BM) and his teachers in composition include Joseph Schwantner, Wayne Peterson, Lou Harrison, Samuel Adler and Robert Morris.
As a saxophonist, he has appeared with numerous distinguished artists including Lou Rawls, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Louie Bellson, Stan Getz, Lionel Hampton, Manhattan Transfer, Mel Torme and Clark Terry. Additionally, Yasinitsky is Principal Saxophonist with the Spokane Symphony and has performed as a member of the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Oakland Symphony.
Yasinitsky can be heard with Tom Harrell, Art Lande and others on recordings released by the Musical Heritage Society, Soul Note, Palo Alto and Revelation Records. His playing and compositions can also be heard on compact discs released by his own label, YAZZ Recordings.
Yasinitsky is also in demand as a conductor and clinician, and has presented concerts and workshops throughout the US, Canada, Europe and Japan. Additionally, Yasinitsky has been the subject of articles and reviews in Jazz Player, Saxophone Journal, The Instrumentalist, Jazz Educators Journal and Yamaha's New Ways magazines and has contributed articles to numerous scholarly journals. Yasinitsky is a Yamaha performing artist and clinician.
Director of the School of Music
Regents Professor of Music Saxophone, Composition
|