Duane E. Johnson Distinguished Award
2014 Recipient - Dr. Jay Gilbert

Dr. Jay W. Gilbert is director of instrumental music and chair of the Music Department. He conducts the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, and the Tiger Pep Band. He is also the music director of the Blue River Community Band.

He has been a guest conductor throughout the United States and Canada. He has also served as a presenter for numerous state conventions and the Midwest International Band/Orchestra Clinic in Chicago.

An interest in composition and arranging has produced a number of works including Suite Divertimento, which has been selected for several state music lists.

His study of quality wind band literature is often cited, and a summary of his research is included in the book The Winds of Change by Frank Battisti. He is also a contributing scholar to the series Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, Volumes II, III and IV. Dr. Gilbert has received a Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association, an Artist's Fellowship from the Nebraska Arts Council, and the Zenon Hansen Leadership Award for his outstanding contributions to Doane College. Recently he was recognized as the outstanding teacher of the year by the college's student congress and was inducted into the University of Nebraska - Omaha's Band Hall of Fame.

NSBA would like to recognize Jay Gilbert for his service to our organization in numerous ways including his efforts to continue the summer clinic, leadership seminar and the young band director boot camp. NSBA is proud to present the Duane E Johnson Distinguished Service Award to Jay Gilbert.