Mr. Gosnell is the current director of Knightliters Jazz Band. Gosnell taught for 38 years in Iowa. He taught 3 years in Swea City (now North Kossuth) as 5-12 band director and then worked in Sumner for three years as high school band director. In 1980, he moved to Cresco, and became 10-12 band director and music department chair for the Howard-Winneshiek Community Schools. In 1986, Jim moved to Cedar Falls where he taught for 26 years.
An Army veteran, Jim attended the Navy School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia and was a member of
the Fifth Army Band at Fort Sheridan in Chicago. He also served a year with the Fourth Division
Band in Vietnam.
Jim graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis completing a Bachelor of
Science in Music Education in 1973 and a Master of Arts in Music Education in 1978. He has
completed all coursework toward an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of
Northern Iowa.
From 1973 to 1977 he taught applied clarinet and saxophone at Gustavus Adolphus College in St.
Peter, Minnesota. He was also the director of the jazz ensemble at the University of Minnesota
from 1973-74 while in grad school. He is currently the director of the Knightliters jazz band
at Wartburg College.
Jim is proud of being a Past President of Iowa Bandmasters Association and has also served that
organization as Elections Chair. He is a Past President of NEIBA, Past Chair of the Iowa Alliance
for Arts Education, and a Past State Band Chair and All-State Band Chair for the Iowa Music
Educators Association. In 1988, Jim was one of six state recipients of the University of Iowa
Distinquished Teacher Award and in 1991 he received the Blackhawk County Gold Star Award for
Outstanding Teaching. He has been nominated three times by NEIBA for the Karl King Distinquished
Service Award – Active and received the IBA state Distinquished Service Award for retired directors
in 2014.
An active clinician and adjudicator, Jim has directed Honor Bands in Iowa and Minnesota, and has
judged Marching, Jazz, and Concert Bands in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri and
Colorado.
Jim and his wife, Caroline, have two children, Erik and Amy, and 4 grand children.
