Joseph Edgar Maddy was a pioneering American music educator.

He was born in Wellington, Kansas

Wellington, Kansas

Wellington is a city in and the county seat of Sumner County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,172.-19th century:...

 where both of his parents were teachers. He attended Wichita College of Music in Wichita, Kansas

Wichita, Kansas

Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...

. There he studied the violin and joined the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra He was also the first music supervisor of instrumental music in America in 1918 in Rochester, New York

Rochester, New York

Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...

.

He later took a job at Morton High School

Richmond High School (Richmond, Indiana)

Richmond High School is a public high school in Richmond, Indiana, located at 380 Hub Etchison Parkway. It is the home of the Richmond Red Devils, who are members of the North Central Conference of the Indiana High School Athletic Association . The current enrollment of the school is around 1,700...

 in Richmond, Indiana

Richmond, Indiana

Richmond is a city largely within Wayne Township, Wayne County, in east central Indiana, United States, which borders Ohio. The city also includes the Richmond Municipal Airport, which is in Boston Township and separated from the rest of the city...

 and during that time, he formed the first National High School Orchestra in 1926.

In 1928, Maddy formed the National Music Camp which still exists today as the Interlochen Center for the Arts

Interlochen Center for the Arts

Interlochen Center for the Arts is a privately owned, 1,200 acre arts education institution in Interlochen, Michigan, roughly 15 miles southwest of Traverse City...

, and which spawned several complementary entities including Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen College of the Creative Arts and Interlochen Public Radio

Interlochen Public Radio

Interlochen Public Radio, established in 1963, is a network of public radio stations in Northern Michigan. It broadcasts classical music and news on five stations in northwest lower Michigan. It is operated by the Interlochen Center for the Arts, with studios on the center's campus in...

 in Interlochen, Michigan

Interlochen, Michigan

Interlochen is a town in Northwest Lower Michigan. The town is noted for the internationally renowned Interlochen Center for the Arts.-History:...

.

He was a member of the Epsilon Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...

, and a recipient of the Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award

Charles E. Lutton Man Of Music Award

The Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award is one of the highest honors awarded to members of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity for a lifelong achievement in uplifting the world through art and music. Its recipients include musical legends such as Aaron Copland, W. Francis McBeth, James Levine,...

.

He was a National Patron of Delta Omicron

Delta Omicron

Delta Omicron is a co-ed international professional music honors fraternity whose mission is to promote and support excellence in music and musicianship.-History:...

, an international professional music fraternity. He received an honorary degree from Earlham College

Earlham College

Earlham College is a liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana. It was founded in 1847 by Quakers and has approximately 1,200 students.The president is John David Dawson...

in 1965.

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