Friday, January 5th, 2018

Last month, Laura Krider, Director of Education, and Patrick Marschke, Memberships Manager, attended the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, IL to connect with educators, conductors, and performers about BandQuest, our band series for middle-level learners. The Midwest Clinic International Band, Orchestra and Music Conference is an annual four-day music band and orchestra conference. For over 70 years, musicians, educators and people passionate about music education of all skill levels have gathered in Chicago for the largest music conference of its kind, and ACF has attended since the program’s conception.

Patrick Marshke, BandQuest Composer Alex Shapiro, Frank Oteri, Trudy Chan, and Stacy Garrop
BandQuest Composer Alex Shapiro and ASCAP composer colleague Bruce Broughton
Patrick Marshke, Laura Krider, The Music Publishing Podcast host Dennis Tobenski, and The Portfolio Composer podcast host Garrett Hope
BandQuest representing at the Hal Leonard Corp. booth
BandQuest composer James M. Stephenson with residency teacher Chip De Stefano

There were many engaging conversations around the new piece by Michael Gandolfi called “Steps Ahead,” new updates in our curricular offerings, and making connections with composers in all stages of their artistic life. Along with our time in the exhibit hall, we also reconnected with Hal Leonard, MakeMusic Inc, and Noteflight, our wonderful educational program partners. And in keeping with tradition, we met with BandQuest composer and Series Editor Thomas C. Duffy and BandQuest advisor Frank Battisti to talk about the program’s trajectory. It was the perfect way to end 2017 and talk about the future of new band music!