CWU'S Gries Inducted Into WMEA Hall Of Fame

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - For his "outstanding work in the field of music education," the Washington Music Educators Association (WMEA) has inducted Dr. Peter Gries, Central Washington University music department chair, into the association's Hall of Fame. He officially became its 218th member during a recent (Feb. 17) ceremony in Yakima.

"I was surprised because I never really thought about it," Gries says. "Since I don't work in the school system, the influence I have on those school is in training the teachers that work there. I didn't think I qualified (for induction)."

The Hall of Fame was established by the WMEA board of directors to recognize exceptional support, inspiration and contributions to the growth and development of public and private music education in Washington.

Inductees are selected from nominations by association members based on demonstrated excellence in music teaching or music administration, contributions to improving the educational process and music education profession, and the exhibition of extraordinary professional integrity.

"I thought my passion for teaching first-year theory may disqualify me," Gries says with a laugh, "since it's the bane of most first-year students." After receiving his doctorate at the University of Oregon, Gries joined the CWU faculty in 1974 and has taught piano, music appreciation, music theory, counterpoint, analysis and pedagogy of theory.

In 1999, he was appointed Central's music department chair and has guided it to National Association of Schools of Music accreditation in 2002, facilitated the move into the university's new, state-of-the-art music building in 2004 and served with the negotiating team in the university's first collective bargaining contract with faculty.

Gries became the seventh member of the CWU faculty selected for the WMEA Hall of Fame, joining Patricia Bourne, Bert Christianson, Wayne Hertz, John Moawad, Robert Panerio and current faculty member Larry Gookin, who was inducted in 2000.

Contact: Robert Lowery (509-963-1487/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail: loweryr@cwu.edu)

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