This year, on Jan. 23-25, the Michigan Music Conference (MMC) was held at DeVos Place Convention Center and Amway Grand Hotel J.W. Marriott in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This event marked the 20th anniversary of the music conference and was attended by around 9,000 people including administrators, students, speakers, and guests. Among this crowd, was Huron Symphony Orchestra, joined by Band and Choir, who was invited to perform there.
“I think all of it was a fun experience and all the logistical things ran smoothly, such as the buses and other timings,” Symphony Orchestra violinist Selah Dowell said. “UMich early decisions came out right when our warm-up started though, so everyone was a bit distracted before the performance.”
Partnering with different organizations to support music education, including the Michigan Chapter of the American String Teachers Association, Michigan Music Education Association, Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, and Michigan School Vocal Music Association, the MMC emphasizes professional development opportunities and enhancing musical experiences, containing a variety of musical events and activities. This conference showcased performances and concerts from various school ensembles, Honors Choirs, All-State Bands, and Orchestras throughout the state. Additionally, it held workshops and clinics for music teachers, providing an educational opportunity for all involved.
“All of the pieces went pretty well and the stage covered up most of the little mistakes that were made,” Symphony Band french horn player Grace Caris said. “It was definitely our best performance of 1812 Overture and I think we all feel good about it.”
Not only did the students get to attend and perform at the conference, but they also had the opportunity to do some exploring and sightseeing of Grand Rapids during their time in the city.
“We decided to make this performance into a trip, so we stayed overnight and went to the Meijer Gardens and a museum as well,” Dowell said. “My favorite part was the banquet dinner after the concert.”
Through the MMC, members of Huron’s music programs were able to obtain a positive performance experience and unique educational opportunity, enhancing their passion and love for music.
“I will definitely take away the experience of performing in the venue we did,” Caris said. “All the preparing we did ahead of time made the performance feel really special.”
