Dr. Gerson Yessin

1929 - 2017

YESSIN Dr. Gerson Yessin, age 88, passed away on January 25, 2017, at Cypress Village in Jacksonville, FL. He was born on January 25, 1929, in Malden, MA, to David and Ada Yessin and has been a resident of the Jacksonville area since 1958. Since his debut at the age of seventeen with Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra, Gerson Yessin has concertized extensively and has appeared on numerous nationwide television programs. In addition to more than thirty-five appearances with the Boston Pops Orchestra, he has been heard as a soloist with other major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony and the Jacksonville Symphony. He was the first pianist to receive two Olga Samaroff Grants. In addition to recording with Leopold Stokowski Bartok's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, he produced nine albums of piano solos for the National Federation of Music and has made numerous recordings of piano compositions. He has given piano-teacher workshops throughout the United States, including national and regional Music Teacher conventions. He presented a concert at the Leopoldskrone Palace in Salzburg, Austria and gave a two-week Chopin Seminar sponsored by the International Workshops. He was the recipient of Award of Merit from the National Federation Music Clubs for the promotion of American music. He was voted by his colleagues as Distinguished Professor of the Year and was invited as a Visiting Professor of Music at Florida State University. He devoted his life to music by serving on at least 20 different committees at the University of North Florida such as the UNF Council of the Arts of which he founded and coordinated. His many appearances on local radio and television programs assisted various local organizations. In his retirement he continued to devote his time to music by teaching young promising children to play the piano. Dr. Yessin received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Juilliard School of Music and his Doctor of Music from Florida State University. He was Founding Chair of the Music Department at Jacksonville University in 1959, and Founding Chair of the Music Department and Professor of Music at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville from 1971 until he retired in 1998. Dr. Yessin was predeceased by his son, Gary Yessin in 2016, and is survived by his wife of 46 years, Anne B. Yessin of Jacksonville, FL, two step-sons, Thomas E. Ewart III (w. Renate W. Ewart) of Tallahassee, FL, Richard Lee Ewart of Venice, FL, and a step-daughter, Nancy E. Shockey (h. David Shockey) of Staunton, VA, and his sister, Evelyn Robinson of Colorado. He also leaves two grandsons, Adam Ewart and Benjamin Shockey. The family requests that memorial gifts be designated to cancer research at Mayo Clinic in Florida. Gifts can be mailed directly to Mayo Clinic, Department of Development, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224. Services will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Beaches Chapel at Hardage-Giddens. Please offer condolences at www.hardage-giddensbeacheschapel.com