What I Gained From The Midwest Clinic This Year

If you've never attended the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, you are truly missing out! What began as a  six-hour clinic and new music reading session in a YMCA gym in December 1946 with 120 directors from the Chicago area in attendance has morphed into a four-day conference at the McCormick Place West with more than 18,000 attendees from all fifty states and more than thirty countries. The clinic and concert schedule is quite involved with over ninety clinics designed for band, orchestra and jazz directors at all levels, more than forty concerts from middle school, high school and adult bands, orchestra, jazz ensembles and chamber ensembles and displays from over 350 exhibitors. With so many choices of exceptional clinics and concerts to attend throughout the convention, a new app was developed this year. Once downloaded, you could select the events you were interested in attending and set text reminders through the app. You could also view maps and more. The app also sent informative notifications. This app was so helpful! In the past, you had to carry around the THICK convention book you receive at registration. 

I've attended this conference on and off since my college days at the University of North Texas. I  first learned of the conference from my university professors. As a college student, I was awestruck by all of the composers in attendance. They were all so friendly and personable. They treated me like friends of theirs. From year to year, they ask me about my family and such. I sometimes can't believe they even remember me! They freely give their time and even sit down and have meals with me and talk about music and life in general - more than just quick hellos in the exhibit hall. These gifted composers have written music I've played in band and are so well-known in the field feel like new members of my family. When I go back to teaching middle school band and talk about my Midwest experience, I feel like I am name-dropping - which I kinda am. One of the biggest perks to Midwest has always been discovering new pieces and buying one piece to perfect my Spring programming. There are so many professional musicians at the conference that I'm able to talk to about my band each year that help guide me toward the perfect pieces of music to both challenge and highlight my students for UIL and other concerts. 

Let's talk about the conference this year. The one thing that has not changed is the people - Midwest is like a family reunion. I was able to meet up with and see my friends in the music industry. And you've heard about friending the people who you admire and want to become versus those that just drag you down? That's what Midwest is - some of THE best in the business attend Midwest. Those directors who consistently have amazing bands share their knowledge in clinics as well as just casual conversation. They are also always open to helping. That is one thing I truly love about band - we share our knowledge and skills openly. I kept myself pretty busy this year with clinics and concerts, that I didn't build in much time to hang around the exhibit hall. In the short time I WAS able to wander through the exhibits though, I was able to quickly catch up with directors, publishers and composers who have become friends over the years. For some of these special people, we are only able to see each other and catch up once a year at Midwest. 

So Chris (my husband and music composer) and I flew in to O'Hare on Wednesday (December 18th) and took the L train and then walked a block or so to the Marriott Marquis Chicago which is connected to the McCormick Place Convention Center. This hotel is a game changer for sure! We are Marriott Rewards members, so we always try to stay at Marriott hotels. The fact that this hotel is attached to the Convention Center is EVERYTHING! We didn't have to go outside in the cold winter Chicago air outside of arriving in Chicago and then getting back to the airport. There is an enclosed walkway bridge. And, the gym and the M Lounge for rewards members are OUTSTANDING! At any rate, we managed to save some money this year by using the train system instead of shuttles, taxis or Uber. By using the M Lounge, we also saved money on meals. We were able to eat breakfast, a dinner on Thursday night (the hors d'oeuvres were very filling) and other snacks. There was also a great coffee bar in which I was able to make really great peppermint mocha lattes for free - no need for Starbucks!  By the time we arrived at the hotel we were able to get registered and attend the United States Air Force Band concert at 8:00 PM on Wednesday night. It was pretty fabulous! The conductor, Colonel Don Schofield, was also Chris's band director for a year in high school. We were able to say hello and get a picture with Chris and the colonel. 

On Thursday morning, I attended the Killian Middle School Honors Band concert conducted by my friend, Rob Chilton. It was outstanding! I wished my students were there to see and hear this amazing group of middle school band students! In briefly talking with Rob after the performance, he let me know that about ten of his students had been ill with the flu! They were up all night with fevers and one was even throwing up minutes before the performance! They pulled it together and did so amazing even with not being 100%! Here is a picture of the group during their performance:

Following the concert, I attended my first clinic of the convention - Teaching Through Poverty: Removing the Barriers for Participation and Performance. Of all of the events I attended throughout the convention, I wished I had either attended another clinic or spent time in the exhibit hall. I was hoping to glean some new information from this clinic seeing as I teach in a Title I school and district where 100% of the students receive free and reduced meals. The clinic was basically a synopsis of books written by Dr. Eric Jensen. I didn't really learn anything. I did take notes at this clinic and all of the other ones I attended. I'd be curious to compare my notes with Dr. Jensen's books. 

After lunch, I attended a clinic called Slow and Steady Wins the Race. The clinicians were Corey L. Graves from Roma MS and Robert T. Herrings from Henry MS. The gem I grabbed from their clinic was the Sweet TARTS of middle school band: (T)one, (A)rticulation, (R)hythm, (T)echnique and (S)tyle. It's a nice little acronym to help you to remember these five important elements in teaching middle school band. They outlined how they teach these elements throughout the middle school band years. This was a GREAT clinic in that I felt validation in what I already do, but was able to still learn something new. 

After this clinic, Chris and I attended the Waxahachie HS Jazz Orchestra concert. I was truly impressed! It was difficult to believe I was hearing high school students! I was so proud to know many of the directors and fine arts staff. It was nice catching up with Phillip Morgan, David Ingram and Macey Lee. It was nice to see Rich Armstrong in his element and a neat surprise to see Dr. Bonny Cain. She retired as the Waco ISD Superintendent and is now the Waxahachie ISD Superintendent. 

I tried to cram in more on Friday as Saturday would be our travel day. I attended a clinic at 8:30 AM called Once More with Feeling: The Music Really Matters led by the masters Richard and Cheryl Floyd. Like all their clinics, it was well-prepared and full of great information. Here are some of the gems I picked up from this clinic: 1. Never underestimate your students' ability to understand and experience emotion and beauty. 2. Artistry is an intangible quality and not omnipresent in all music. 3. You can only play one piece at a time - make it a good one. When you choose a piece, you've rejected every other piece out there in order to play that one. 4. Make sure all the sections are getting some meat to work on in at least one piece. Create balance. 5. Cultivate your own personal growth. Strive to be the conductor you'd like to play for and the teacher you'd like to learn from.

I then spent about a half an hour in the exhibits - not nearly enough time! Then attended a clinic at 10:30 AM called Building a Strong Band Program Using a Balanced Approach with Thoughtful Expectations led by directors Jed Maus from Keller MS and Chris Meredith from Shadow Ridge MS. They were also full of such great information. It was nice to hear that I'm already doing a lot of the right things, but it was helpful hearing it from expert teachers. One gem I gleamed from their clinic was creating an institutional memory of the program. They recently created a google doc documenting their curriculum - listing out what is covered in all their beginner classes week by week. Everyone on the band staff shares that google doc and adds to it throughout the year. The great thing is that the head director is able to see what the assistants are teaching and can have discussions about what they need the focus to be at that time in the year and the assistants can see what the head director is teaching and model their teaching to that. It takes out all the guesswork. From year to year you can see what worked and keep that up and then tweak what didn't work. I LOVE this and will begin implementing it with the Tennyson band program immediately. 

At noon, I attended another clinic - Oboe Pedagogy from Day One let by Carol Zeisler from Old Dominion University. I took some great notes and she also provided a large packet with notes from all the oboe clinics given at Midwest throughout the years. One new piece of information I learned was the D rule which was in reference to the half hole. I never thought of half-holing as being used for all D's (D, D-sharp and D-flat). I know...total duh moment. 

Following this clinic, I was able to grab some snacks from the M Lounge for lunch and then headed to another double reed clinic given by friend, Dr. Jason Worzbyt. Jason was getting his Masters at UNT while I was there getting my Bachelors. Jason's clinic was titled Bassoon Pedagogy, Day One. It was great as well! He took someone from the audience who had never played a bassoon in their life (a trumpet player) and walked him through playing the bassoon from the very beginning. It was great to see it modeled like that and see what he did/said when this "student" wasn't getting things just right. The aha thing from his clinic was that if a reed will crow three sounds (high, mid and low), it's a good reed. I did not know that. 

After the clinic, I attended another concert - the Grisham Middle School Honors Band. Grisham Middle School is right down the road in Round Rock. The band is led by Liz Love and assisted by Jay Hagy. It was great! I was so impressed with the brass sounds that I contacted Mr. Hagy to see if he'd come work with my Tennyson brass students. He replied and said he'd love to and to connect again after things settled down a little following Midwest. From listening to the concert, I also found I piece I want to program in the future - "The Holly and the Ivy" arranged by Tom Wallace. Here is a picture from their concert:

The last clinic I attended was Conducting and Teaching: Empowering Student Musicianship led by Sam Houston University professor, Dr. Matthew McInturf. Dr. McInturf is always so thoughtful and this clinic was no exception. The focus for his clinic was taking a thoughtful approach to everything you do as a band director. Are you teaching music or skill, art or technique, idealistic or practical information? Some nuggets from his clinic - conducting versus teaching: conducting elicits what the performer knows and teaching expands the students' knowledge. Make sure you are doing both. When you give students the knowledge they need as performers, conducting just gives them space to bring their skill and the knowledge you've imparted to the forefront. Making music makes musicians. Practice leads to understanding. Independence creates ownership and identity. Creativity only exists in ownership - ownership frees us to be creative. As we grow as conductors and teachers we need to share responsibility with our students. It is our job to remedy deficiencies our students have and once the students have an understanding, step back and let them shine. Anything a student can do, they should do. If we do something for the student they can do, we are doing them a disservice. In becoming a better conductor, we cannot assume responsibilities the group should have. We have to give up control and empower the players. Conducing is about facilitating the performance. In preparing for the performance, you must make sure rehearsals are not just procedures. You need to teach that every time you put your instrument to your face, PERFORM. Sometimes the best music-making doesn't happen in front of witnesses - practice the way you perform. In becoming a better teacher, you need to individualize for your students. Structure the lessons so that practicing is necessary and part of learning. When integrating conducting and teaching it is important to communicate, prepare, lead by investing in the success of the people you work with and be engaged. 

As always, Midwest was the perfect mid-year boost. I will be able to review my notes and follow through with connections made again to make the Spring semester pretty amazing. With Midwest being right at the beginning of the Winter break up in Chicago, I was able to extend my trip by a day and see my grandma in Racine, WI. 

On Saturday, we checked out of the hotel and made the trek via buses and trains back to O'Hare to rent a car to drive north about an hour to the city I was born in, Racine. We were able to spend about twenty-four hours with my grandma. It was so nice - not long enough, but still great. On Sunday afternoon, we drove back to the airport, returned the rental car and upgraded to first class to fly back to DFW. We got in late Sunday night and drove back to Waco arriving home after 1 AM. On Monday we were able to rest up a little bit and then drove down to San Antonio on Christmas Eve. We stayed there with Chris's family through Friday night. 

We got home pretty late and then picked up our sweet dog, Bella on Saturday morning. We've been able to hang around the house and battle our allergies since then. When you're able to sit around the house in your PJ's and watch Netflix, that's a great little break. I'm thankful for this opportunity to veg out and just chill before school starts back up next week. 

I'm also thankful for the time I was able to spend with family. And of course am thankful for the opportunity to attend Midwest again and soak up the amazing performances and clinics and reconnect with friends and make new ones too.