Bands : Larry Gookin, Director of Bands

Larry Gookin has been Director of Bands at Central Washington University since 1981. Currently he serves as the Associate Chair, Director of Bands and conductor of the Wind Ensemble. His fields of expertise include music education, wind literature, conducting, and low brass performance. The CWU Wind Ensemble has performed at state, regional and national conventions, including the College Band Directors National Association Conference in Boulder; the Music Educators National Conference in Minneapolis; the Western International Band Clinics in Seattle, and the Western/Northwestern CBDNA Division Conferences in Reno. The ensemble has twice been invited to perform at the prestigious American Bandmasters Association National Conference.

Professor Gookin received the M.M. in Music Education from the University of Oregon School of Music in 1977 and the B.M in Music Education and Trombone Performance from the University of Montana in 1971. He taught band for 10 years in public schools in Montana and Oregon. Prior to accepting the position as Director of Bands at Central Washington University, he was Director of Bands at South Eugene H.S in Eugene, Oregon.

Gookin has served as president of the Northwestern Division of the CBDNA, as well as Divisional Chairman for the National Band Association.  He is past Vice President of the Washington Music Educators Association. In 1992 he was elected to the membership of the American Bandmasters Association, and in 2000 he became a member of the Washington Music Educators “Hall of Fame.”   In 2001, Gookin received the Central Washington University Distinguished Professor of Teaching Award, and in 2003 was named WMEA teacher of the year. In 2004, he was selected as Central Washington University's representative for the Carnegie Foundation (CASE) teaching award. He is a past recipient of the “Citation of Excellence Award” from the National Band Association, the “Mac” award from First Chair of America, and the American Schools Band Directors Association “Standbury Award.”

From 1996 to 2002 Gookin was the Music Director of the Washington Ambassadors of Music, leading biennial European tours with over 150 high school musicians from the State of Washington. The tours included performances in London, Paris, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany.

Professor Gookin has appeared as clinician, adjudicator, and conductor in the United States, Canada, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Europe.   He is former principal trombone of the Eugene Symphony and is currently principal trombone with the Yakima Symphony Orchestra. He is an educational clinician for Yamaha Corporation of America. Gookin resides in Ellensburg, Washington with his wife Karen, who teaches English at CWU and performs on piccolo and flute with the Yakima Symphony Orchestra.

Send email to Larry Gookin at gookinl@cwu.edu