Senior Brett Davies practices nearly every day with his peers in the wind ensemble band. Soon, their skills will be put to the test when they try out for the Midwest Clinic. The Midwest Clinic offers band students the opportunity to receive specific and detailed information for everything band. In one section, students are exposed to newly released music played by live bands and orchestras. They also get to experience specialized rehearsal to learn new techniques and skills from band experts. The Midwest Clinic has been around since 1946 and has received praise from multiple directors for being an event that teaches new skills and ideas year after year.

“It’s a band convention where band directors from all over come together, and we have to send them a recording to try out. We’d be getting to visit Chicago, Illinois, and learn a lot about music if we go. We’d get to learn a lot from the directors and we could hear some other bands perform,” Davies said.

Considering that the band can only apply once every five years, the clinic is fairly exclusive. The last time the band went was six years ago, so current students have yet to experience it. It is hosted nearly in the center of Chicago in December every year. Besides the musical experience, students would also get to see a big city.

“Our band can only try out every five years so the fact that we might get to go next year is really special,” Davies said.