The Midwest Clinic
Encyclopedia
The Midwest Clinic is the world's largest instrumental music education conference, annually drawing approximately 15,000 attendees to Chicago from all 50 states and as many as forty countries. It is held every December in downtown Chicago. For the past several years, Midwest has used the following venues simultaneously: Hilton
Chicago, Palmer House
Hilton, Congress Plaza Hotel, and the Merle Reskin Theatre
in downtown Chicago
. In 2009, The Midwest Clinic will move to a new venue after spending the last 30 years at the Hilton
. The conference is moving to McCormick Place West - a state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2007 and is part of McCormick Place
, a complex of convention space located about a mile south of the Hilton
. A non-profit organization
, the Midwest Clinic exists exclusively for educational purposes: to raise the standards of music education; to improve the methods employed in music education; to develop new teaching techniques; to disseminate to school music teachers, directors, supervisors, and others interested in music education information to assist in their professional work; to examine, analyze and appraise literature dealing with music; to hold clinics, lectures and demonstrations for the betterment of music education; and in general, to assist teachers and others interested in music education in better pursuing their profession.
1947 - Name changed to "Mid-West Band Clinic"
1951 - Name changed to "Mid-West National Band Clinic"
1962 - The Midwest Clinic Medal of Honor was created to recognize outstanding contributions to music education
1968 - Name changed to "Mid-West National Band and Orchestra Clinic"
1986 - Name changed to "Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic"
1988 - College Night is instituted, bringing representatives of colleges and universities into contact with students and teachers
1989 - The Teacher Resource Center is created
1990 - The Midwest Motifs newsletter is first published
1991 - The Midwest Clinic Industry Award is created to recognize outstanding contributions to music education through the music industry
1992 - The Midwest Clinic International Award is created to recognize outstanding contributions to music education through the music industry
1996 - The current name is adopted: "The Midwest Clinic, An International Band and Orchestra Conference"
1996 - The Midwest Clinic commissions its first two pieces of music, in honor of its 50th Anniversary
1997 - The United States Coast Guard Band presents two concerts on Wednesday night to meet the growing audience demand for the featured United States military band performances
2001 - Pre-registration for the conference is first offered through the Midwest Clinic website
2002 - Streaming video selections from concert performances are archived on the Midwest Clinic website, and the College Student and Beginning Teacher Track Series is created
2004 - Rehearsal labs are introduced at the Palmer House
, and the Merle Reskin Theatre
is added to the venues hosting Midwest Clinic events
2006 - High School Student Clinics are added at the Palmer House
, and "blogs" are introduced to the Midwest Clinic website
2006 - The Midwest Clinic celebrates its 60th Anniversary
2007 - A theme for the conference, "Mentoring in Music Education," is introduced for the first time
2009 - The conference moves from the Hilton Chicago to McCormick Place West
Howard Lyons, Lyons Band Instrument Company
Neil Kjos, Sr., Neil A. Kjos Music Company
The Midwest Clinic began on December 7, 1946, when approximately 120 directors from the Chicago
area assembled in a YWCA
gymnasium on Chicago's West Side for a six-hour clinic and new music reading session. In 1947, the event was expanded to two days and moved to the Hotel Sherman to take advantage of the larger facility and accommodations for out-of-town directors. Besides the two-day format, this second installment brought many new features, including a printed program, an additional band, and a new name: The Mid-West Band Clinic. The VanderCook College of Music, Neil A. Kjos Music Company, and Lyons Band Instrument Company sponsored the event. For the next twenty-five years, the Hotel Sherman was home to the Midwest Clinic. In the 1950s, orchestras and jazz
ensembles were introduced, and in 1962, the Midwest Clinic held its first official Orchestra Day. In 1963, the clinic expanded to its present format of four-and-a-half days. Since 1973, the Midwest Clinic has been held at the Hilton Chicago, and in 1995, the Blackstone Hotel
was used in addition to the Hilton for hosting clinic events. With the addition of this facility, the Midwest Clinic was able to present more clinics than ever in its history. In 1999, the Congress Plaza replaced the Blackstone Hotel as the second site of conference events. In 2008, the Blackstone Hotel was once again added as a clinic venue after reopening in 2007. In 2008, the Midwest Clinic board of directors voted to move the conference to McCormick Place
in order to house all Midwest events in one location.
In the earliest years of the "Mid-West Band Clinic", the organizers - H.E. Nutt, Howard Lyons, and Neil Kjos, Sr. - invited outstanding bands to perform, based upon the reputations of the organization and its director. In addition to giving a formal concert, the bands were also expected to provide a sight-reading session, with the selections being requested by audience members on the spur of the moment.
Over the years, the focus of the Midwest Clinic has remained on bringing music directors into contact with not only the best published music but also new and established teaching techniques and the latest products and services for the music educator.
Brass, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, United States Coast Guard Band, Indiana University
Philharmonic, U.S. Air Force Band, U.S. Army Blues Jazz Ensemble, U.S. Navy Band Commodores, "President's Own" United States Marine Band
, Australian Wind Orchestra, The Louisville Male High School Symphonic Band (2001), City of Milano Wind Orchestra, Clarence Wind Ensemble, Birmingham Symphonic Winds
, Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra
, Hillcrest High School Wind Ensemble (2009), and Eastman Wind Ensemble
. The Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School Wind Symphony from Iowa will be performing in 2010. Artie Henry Middle School
Honors Band (2010).
Members of the current board of directors are: John Clinton, Richard Crain (President), Paula Crider, Rodney Dorsey, Jose Diaz, Richard Dunscomb, Antonio García, Nancy Golden, Glenn Holtz, Mark Kelly, Mark Kjos, Tim Lautzenheiser, Mark Laycock, Ed Lisk, David McCormick (Secretary), Beth Peterson, Denny Senseney (Treasurer), Dorothy Straub (Vice-President), Mallory Thompson, and John Whitwell (Vice-President).
Meredith Willson, Medal of Honor, 1964
Doc Severinsen, Medal of Honor, 1969
Morton Gould, Medal of Honor, 1980
John Paynter, Medal of Honor, 1987
Alfred Reed, Medal of Honor, 1996
Jamey Aebersold, Medal of Honor, 2004
William F. Ludwig, Jr., Industry Award, 1994
Neil A. Kjos, Jr., Industry Award, 1994
Charles Barnhouse, Industry Award, 1997
Timothy Reynish, International Award, 1996
Ralph Hultgren, International Award, 2005
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
Chicago, Palmer House
Palmer House
The Palmer House Hilton is a famous and historic hotel in downtown Chicago.-History:There have been three Palmer House Hotels at the corner of State and Monroe Streets in Chicago....
Hilton, Congress Plaza Hotel, and the Merle Reskin Theatre
Merle Reskin Theatre
The Merle Reskin Theatre is a performing arts venue located in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois. Originally named the Blackstone Theatre, it was founded in 1910. The Merle Reskin Theatre is now part of DePaul University, although it is still used for events not affiliated with the...
in downtown Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. In 2009, The Midwest Clinic will move to a new venue after spending the last 30 years at the Hilton
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
. The conference is moving to McCormick Place West - a state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2007 and is part of McCormick Place
McCormick Place
McCormick Place is the largest convention center in the United States. It is made up of four interconnected buildings sited on and near the shore of Lake Michigan, about 4 km south of downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA. McCormick Place hosts numerous trade shows, including the Chicago Auto Show,...
, a complex of convention space located about a mile south of the Hilton
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
. A non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, the Midwest Clinic exists exclusively for educational purposes: to raise the standards of music education; to improve the methods employed in music education; to develop new teaching techniques; to disseminate to school music teachers, directors, supervisors, and others interested in music education information to assist in their professional work; to examine, analyze and appraise literature dealing with music; to hold clinics, lectures and demonstrations for the betterment of music education; and in general, to assist teachers and others interested in music education in better pursuing their profession.
Timeline
1946 - First clinic was held under the name "Band Clinic"1947 - Name changed to "Mid-West Band Clinic"
1951 - Name changed to "Mid-West National Band Clinic"
1962 - The Midwest Clinic Medal of Honor was created to recognize outstanding contributions to music education
1968 - Name changed to "Mid-West National Band and Orchestra Clinic"
1986 - Name changed to "Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic"
1988 - College Night is instituted, bringing representatives of colleges and universities into contact with students and teachers
1989 - The Teacher Resource Center is created
1990 - The Midwest Motifs newsletter is first published
1991 - The Midwest Clinic Industry Award is created to recognize outstanding contributions to music education through the music industry
1992 - The Midwest Clinic International Award is created to recognize outstanding contributions to music education through the music industry
1996 - The current name is adopted: "The Midwest Clinic, An International Band and Orchestra Conference"
1996 - The Midwest Clinic commissions its first two pieces of music, in honor of its 50th Anniversary
1997 - The United States Coast Guard Band presents two concerts on Wednesday night to meet the growing audience demand for the featured United States military band performances
2001 - Pre-registration for the conference is first offered through the Midwest Clinic website
2002 - Streaming video selections from concert performances are archived on the Midwest Clinic website, and the College Student and Beginning Teacher Track Series is created
2004 - Rehearsal labs are introduced at the Palmer House
Palmer House
The Palmer House Hilton is a famous and historic hotel in downtown Chicago.-History:There have been three Palmer House Hotels at the corner of State and Monroe Streets in Chicago....
, and the Merle Reskin Theatre
Merle Reskin Theatre
The Merle Reskin Theatre is a performing arts venue located in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois. Originally named the Blackstone Theatre, it was founded in 1910. The Merle Reskin Theatre is now part of DePaul University, although it is still used for events not affiliated with the...
is added to the venues hosting Midwest Clinic events
2006 - High School Student Clinics are added at the Palmer House
Palmer House
The Palmer House Hilton is a famous and historic hotel in downtown Chicago.-History:There have been three Palmer House Hotels at the corner of State and Monroe Streets in Chicago....
, and "blogs" are introduced to the Midwest Clinic website
2006 - The Midwest Clinic celebrates its 60th Anniversary
2007 - A theme for the conference, "Mentoring in Music Education," is introduced for the first time
2009 - The conference moves from the Hilton Chicago to McCormick Place West
Founders
H.E. Nutt, VanderCook College of MusicVandercook College of Music
VanderCook College of Music is a private, liberal arts college in Chicago, Illinois, and is the only college in the country solely specializing in the training of music educators. Students may pursue a Bachelor of Music in Education , Master of Music in Education , and Master of Music in Education...
Howard Lyons, Lyons Band Instrument Company
Neil Kjos, Sr., Neil A. Kjos Music Company
The Midwest Clinic began on December 7, 1946, when approximately 120 directors from the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area assembled in a YWCA
YWCA
The YWCA USA is the United States branch of a women's membership movement that strives to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power in order to attain a common vision—to eliminate racism and empower women. The YWCA is a non-profit organization, the first of which was founded in...
gymnasium on Chicago's West Side for a six-hour clinic and new music reading session. In 1947, the event was expanded to two days and moved to the Hotel Sherman to take advantage of the larger facility and accommodations for out-of-town directors. Besides the two-day format, this second installment brought many new features, including a printed program, an additional band, and a new name: The Mid-West Band Clinic. The VanderCook College of Music, Neil A. Kjos Music Company, and Lyons Band Instrument Company sponsored the event. For the next twenty-five years, the Hotel Sherman was home to the Midwest Clinic. In the 1950s, orchestras and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
ensembles were introduced, and in 1962, the Midwest Clinic held its first official Orchestra Day. In 1963, the clinic expanded to its present format of four-and-a-half days. Since 1973, the Midwest Clinic has been held at the Hilton Chicago, and in 1995, the Blackstone Hotel
Blackstone Hotel
The Renaissance Blackstone Hotel is located on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Balbo Street in the Michigan Boulevard Historic District in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois. This 21-story hotel was built from 1908 to 1910 and designed by Marshall and Fox. On May 29, 1998, the...
was used in addition to the Hilton for hosting clinic events. With the addition of this facility, the Midwest Clinic was able to present more clinics than ever in its history. In 1999, the Congress Plaza replaced the Blackstone Hotel as the second site of conference events. In 2008, the Blackstone Hotel was once again added as a clinic venue after reopening in 2007. In 2008, the Midwest Clinic board of directors voted to move the conference to McCormick Place
McCormick Place
McCormick Place is the largest convention center in the United States. It is made up of four interconnected buildings sited on and near the shore of Lake Michigan, about 4 km south of downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA. McCormick Place hosts numerous trade shows, including the Chicago Auto Show,...
in order to house all Midwest events in one location.
In the earliest years of the "Mid-West Band Clinic", the organizers - H.E. Nutt, Howard Lyons, and Neil Kjos, Sr. - invited outstanding bands to perform, based upon the reputations of the organization and its director. In addition to giving a formal concert, the bands were also expected to provide a sight-reading session, with the selections being requested by audience members on the spur of the moment.
Over the years, the focus of the Midwest Clinic has remained on bringing music directors into contact with not only the best published music but also new and established teaching techniques and the latest products and services for the music educator.
Events
The conference opens on a Tuesday in December, with a program of orchestra concerts and string clinics. Orchestra events are also held throughout the day on Wednesday and on Thursday morning and afternoon. The first band clinics and band concerts are held on Wednesday morning. Band clinics and concerts continue through Saturday morning. Events start at 8:30 a.m. each day and continue throughout the day until the last concert concludes at around 11:15 p.m. The exhibits are open on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The conference concludes on Saturday with a finale concert that ends by 1:00 p.m.Concert Performances
Performances are given by organizations from around the world. Grade school, middle school, high school, college, military, adult, and professional groups all present concerts. The VanderCook College of Music Wind Ensemble is the only ensemble that has performed at every Midwest Clinic since its start in 1946. Past performers include: Chicago Symphony OrchestraChicago Symphony Orchestra
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...
Brass, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, United States Coast Guard Band, Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
Philharmonic, U.S. Air Force Band, U.S. Army Blues Jazz Ensemble, U.S. Navy Band Commodores, "President's Own" United States Marine Band
United States Marine Band
The United States Marine Band is the premier band of the United States Marine Corps. Established by act of Congress on July 11, 1798, it is the oldest of the United States military bands and the oldest professional musical organization in the United States...
, Australian Wind Orchestra, The Louisville Male High School Symphonic Band (2001), City of Milano Wind Orchestra, Clarence Wind Ensemble, Birmingham Symphonic Winds
Birmingham Symphonic Winds
Birmingham Symphonic Winds is a UK-based amateur wind orchestra in the style of the Eastman Wind Ensemble.BSW was established in 1992 by its Musical Director, Keith Allen, with the aim of offering local players the opportunity to perform hiqh-quality wind repertoire and contemporary compositions...
, Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra
Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra
The is a professional concert band that has long been regarded as one of the world's finest, perhaps rivaled only in recent years by the Dallas Wind Symphony ....
, Hillcrest High School Wind Ensemble (2009), and Eastman Wind Ensemble
Eastman Wind Ensemble
The Eastman Wind Ensemble is an American concert band founded by Frederick Fennell at the Eastman School of Music in 1952. It is often credited with helping popularize wind music. Through the group, Fennell redefined wind ensemble to refer to a specific kind of wind band with only one player per...
. The Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School Wind Symphony from Iowa will be performing in 2010. Artie Henry Middle School
Artie Henry Middle School
Artie Henry Middle School is a junior high school based in Cedar Park, Texas. The school was established in the year 2002 to serve as the fourth middle school in the Leander Independent School District. The school was built due to the rapid growth of population in other middle schools, and also...
Honors Band (2010).
Clinics
More than fifty clinicians offer guidance and inspiration covering all facets of instrumental music. Clinics are now held at all four Midwest Clinic venues. Many clinics are presented more than once to allow educators to attend clinics that may overlap with other clinics and/or performances that they wish to attend. There are now clinics specifically presented for College Student/Beginning Teacher attendees as well as clinics directed toward high school students. Past clinicians include Gunther Schuller, Tim Lautzenheiser, John Corigliano, Wynton Marsalis, Mark Camphouse, Frank Ticheli, Frederic Fennell, Col. Arnald Gabriel, Himie Voxman, and Karel Husa.Exhibits
Every year, more than 350 companies and organizations are represented in the Midwest Clinic's exhibit halls, located in the Hilton Chicago. Exhibits are open Wednesday through Friday and include publishing companies, instrument manufacturers, fundraising companies, travel/tour agencies, and colleges and universities, among others. Kjos Music Company, one of the founding sponsors of the clinic, has exhibited at every Midwest Clinic since its beginning in 1946. The C. L. Barnhouse Company is the only other firm to have exhibited at all Midwest Clinics since 1946. Charles L. (Chuck) Barnhouse III is the only living individual to have attended the first fifty Midwests.Other Events
In addition to the concerts, clinics, and exhibits held at the Midwest Clinic, many organizations hold annual meetings and/or receptions throughout the week since so many of their members are in attendance. In 1988, College Night was created as an opportunity for students and teachers looking for a music degree program to visit with music school representatives of more than seventy of the nation's leading colleges and universities and branches of the United States Military. The following year, the Teacher Resource Center (TRC) was formed. The TRC offers services such as an Internet cafe, software demonstrations, and an opportunity for educators to participate in job interviews.Board of directors
The Midwest Clinic is governed by a Board of Directors. Members are appointed upon being selected and invited by the Board when its members determine a need for new members. Membership on the board carries responsibilities to attend and participate in meetings of the Board and its committees and to carry forth projects for the corporation.Members of the current board of directors are: John Clinton, Richard Crain (President), Paula Crider, Rodney Dorsey, Jose Diaz, Richard Dunscomb, Antonio García, Nancy Golden, Glenn Holtz, Mark Kelly, Mark Kjos, Tim Lautzenheiser, Mark Laycock, Ed Lisk, David McCormick (Secretary), Beth Peterson, Denny Senseney (Treasurer), Dorothy Straub (Vice-President), Mallory Thompson, and John Whitwell (Vice-President).
Awards
The Midwest Clinic gives out three different awards: the "Medal of Honor," the "Industry Award," and the "International Award." Award winners are nominated and chosen by the Board of Directors. At the 60th anniversary of the Midwest Clinic in 2006, all living past award winners were invited to attend and be honored at the conference. Past award winners include:Meredith Willson, Medal of Honor, 1964
Doc Severinsen, Medal of Honor, 1969
Morton Gould, Medal of Honor, 1980
John Paynter, Medal of Honor, 1987
Alfred Reed, Medal of Honor, 1996
Jamey Aebersold, Medal of Honor, 2004
William F. Ludwig, Jr., Industry Award, 1994
Neil A. Kjos, Jr., Industry Award, 1994
Charles Barnhouse, Industry Award, 1997
Timothy Reynish, International Award, 1996
Ralph Hultgren, International Award, 2005