I have been on Oakland University's SMTD faculty since 2012, starting as the jazz piano instructor and playing in the faculty combo. In 2016, I became a Special Lecturer and my role expanded to directing the Oakland Jazz Singers. In 2019, I created the Golden Grizzly Jazz Singers which I paired with the Oakland Jazz Singers, now called the Blue Grizzly Jazz Singers. In the same year, I started instructing the majority of courses in OU's Jazz Minor, including Jazz Composing and Arranging, and Jazz Theory. In 2020, vocalists were permitted to take courses to pursue the Jazz Minor. In 2020's COVID year, I created an online Vocal Jazz program. For my work I was awarded the 2021 Keith A. Pretty award for Distinguished Online Service at OU. In 2020, I also began instructing Orchestration classes for OU's new Music Technology Degree. I am proud to have had a studio of jazz pianists, vocalists, composers, and arrangers who are now making their mark in the world as professional jazz musicians.

If you are an Oakland University student interested in private lessons in jazz piano, voice, composition, arranging, or interested in joining a jazz ensemble, please contact me at gwinnell@oakland.edu.