The University of Illinois Band Clinics 1930–1954

The Music Section of the Illinois High School Conference (1911–1929)

From 1905 until 1942, the University of Illinois hosted an annual High School Conference each November to provide educators, principals, and superintendents of the state the opportunity to discuss trends within public education. ⁷ The conference schedule, which typically began on Thursday and ended on Saturday, included general sessions for all attendees as well as subject-specific section meetings in the morning and afternoon on Friday. A dedicated Music Section meeting of the conference was first established in 1911, and early agendas indicate a variety of presentation topics. ⁸ For example, the section schedule for 1917 included round table discussions on “A Curriculum in the History of Music,” “A Curriculum in Musical Appreciation,” “Graded Materials for High School Course [sic] and Orchestra,” and “The Prerequisites for the Music Courses Which Are to Be Offered for Credit in High School.” ⁹ The first explicit session pertaining to bands came in 1920 in an address by A. Austin Harding, Director of Bands at the University of Illinois, titled “The High School Band: Its Personnel and Organization.” ¹⁰ The address was not Harding’s first participation at the Conference; the University Band, led by Harding, had performed for the opening of the Conference in 1915, 1916, 1917, and 1920. ¹¹

The program for the 1925 Music Section meeting, held on November 20, includes the following: “NOTE. At 1 o’clock there will be a meeting of Band Directors in Room 200, Smith Memorial Hall. The meeting will last until 2 o’clock.” ¹² This meeting, titled the “Illinois High School Band Clinic” in other documents, was attended by 26 individuals, but no details are available as to what was discussed. ¹³ The program for the 1926 conference explicitly listed a “Band Directors’ Conference” for the morning of November 19 and an attendance list for the meeting showed 28 names, including A.R. McAllister, director of the Joliet Township High School Band and First Vice-President of National School Band Association (NSBA), and Paul E. Morrison, director of the Quincy High School Band. ¹⁴ The Music Section schedule for 1927 did not explicitly list a Band Director Conference, but the afternoon session was entirely devoted to band-related topics and split into concurrent A and B sessions, with a demonstration rehearsal by the Champaign High School Band, a “Discussion on Methods Used in the Development of the Joliet Township High School Band” by McAllister, and “The Relation of the Public School Band to the University Band” by Harding. ¹⁵ An attendance list for 1927 listed forty-eight names. ¹⁶ For 1928, the section meeting schedule returned to a more eclectic format with a “Band Directors’ Meeting” denoted for the morning session. ¹⁷ An attendance list for that meeting included forty-nine names, ¹⁸ among them Ed Chenette, director of the Iowa State College Band, and Neil A. Kjos, Sr., who had become an assistant conductor of the UIL bands earlier that year. ¹⁹

Section proceedings for the 1929 conference were similar to those in 1928, but provide no indication of a meeting of band directors; ²⁰ however, a letter dated December 7, 1929, from Harding to Morrison, who was serving as the president of the Illinois School Band Association (ISBA), suggests a meeting did take place with the purpose of organizing a dedicated band conference separate from the High School Conference for the very near future. ²¹ Harding wrote that at “the recommendation of the band directors who were here last month, the date for the band director conference here was set for January 9 and 10 beginning Thursday, January 9 at 1:30 p.m. and ending Friday, January 10 at 5:30 p.m.” ²² Harding continued to describe the proposed format and schedule for the conference, which included readings of required contest pieces for Class A, B, C, and D in the afternoons, with the remaining time “filled in with lectures, demonstrations and discussions of the kind that the majority of the band directors desire.” ²³ In a general bulletin sent to band directors in Illinois soon afterwards, Morrison outlined procedures and required pieces for upcoming contests as well as dates and other information for the pending conference. In announcing the scope and tentative schedule, Morrison stated, “In fact, Mr. Harding desires very much to give the band directors just what they need in their particular situations. Come primed with questions.” ²⁴

The Annual Bandmasters’ Conference at the University of Illinois (1930–1931)

Planning of the conference appeared to have progressed quickly as Harding sent correspondence “To the Directors of Illinois School Bands” on December 30, 1929, regarding the “Bandmasters’ Conference at the University of Illinois” to be held on January 9–10, 1930 (please see Table 1 for information on the 1930–1931 clinics). Dates listed for the conference aligned with those put forth previously, which, Harding stated, “will be found to be quite convenient for those who will drive to Urbana-Champaign. This schedule is so arranged that bandmasters from practically every part of the state may attend the whole conference without being away from home more than one night.” ²⁵ The accompanying tentative schedule can be seen in Figure 1. In his letter, Harding added, “we are particularly anxious for bandmasters to advise us as to the make-up of the conference program . . . so it is not too late for you to send us your suggestions for changes and additions.” ²⁶ As a way of fostering input, Harding included with his letter a one-page questionnaire for directors to complete and return prior to the conference. The questionnaire listed twenty-nine Class A and B pieces and thirty Class C and D pieces and asked directors to “Please check numbers that you would like to hear played. Double check those that you are especially interested in.” ²⁷ Directors were also asked to suggest topics for round-table discussions and to check a list of “Other subjects interested in,” such as rehearsal procedures, music for ensemble groups, and unusual instruments, to aid in the planning of the conference. ²⁸

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Table 1.

Dates, Names, and Attendance of UIL Band Clinics (1930–1931).

Dates	Title	Attendance
January 9-10, 1930	Bandmasters’ Conference at the University of Illinois	39
January 8-10, 1931	Bandmasters’ Conference at the University of Illinois	83

Sources: “Bandmasters’ Conference January 9 and 10, 1930,” Harding Papers; “Bandmasters’ Conference—January 8-10, 1931,” Harding Papers.

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Figure 1.

University of Illinois Band Clinic Schedule, 1930.

Attendees at the inaugural clinic included McAllister, Victor J. Grabel, conductor of the Chicago Concert Band, and Harold Bachman, conductor of Bachman’s Million Dollar Band. ²⁹ The work of planning and hosting the conference was recognized by the members of the Illinois School Band Association (ISBA), who, at their Friday morning association meeting, adopted a resolution thanking Harding, his staff, and the university band members “for the splendid and instructive program given for benefit of the school band directors.” ³⁰ One of the attendees, J. H. Barabash, band director at Harrison Technical High School in Chicago, went as far as to write personally to Harding, stating, “I take this opportunity to thank you for your hospitality, and help given the band directors of this state, at the last Band Masters’ Conference.” Barabash further thanked Harding “for taking the lead in this great movement, as I feel that many states will copy the wonderful idea in the near future.” ³¹

The “Second Annual Bandmasters Conference” expanded the meeting to a three-day affair. ³² A suggestion was made to Harding to consider seeking talent from outside Illinois, such as composer and bandleader Henry Fillmore or a representative from Carl Fischer Music, as a way of increasing attendance, particularly from other states. ³³ In anticipation of more attendees, Harding’s official announcement of the 1931 Conference indicated that Raymond Dvorak, Harding’s assistant, was in charge of coordinating rooms in private homes for all visiting directors. ³⁴ As with the previous year, the announcement was also accompanied by a questionnaire that asked directors to indicate contest pieces they wished to hear performed. ³⁵ The Thursday schedule was nearly identical to the previous year’s, but the Friday schedule was adjusted slightly by moving the ISBA business meeting to the evening and adding two morning sessions. The schedule for Saturday was brief, perhaps in an effort to allow attendees ample travel time to return home before evening:

9:00 a.m. Reading of material for Wind instrument ensembles

10:00 a.m. Remarks by visiting band directors from other states

11:00 a.m. Reserved for topics in which special interest has developed during the conference ³⁶

Attendees included Joseph Maddy, the then head of the Music Supervisors National Conference’s Committee on Instrumental Affairs, composer Paul Yoder, and William Revelli, the then director of the Hobart (IN) High School Band. ³⁷ Aside from the questionnaire sent prior to the Conference, a Supplementary Request List was distributed at the conference for attendees to indicate other pieces they wished to hear performed. Unlike the questionnaire, this list included 100 pieces that were not connected to state and national contests and included transcriptions as well as original works, such as a number of Sousa, King, Goldman, and Alford marches and Grainger’s Shepherd’s Hey. ³⁸ It is unclear when these pieces may have been performed during the Conference.

University of Illinois Annual Band Masters’ Conference and the National Band Clinic (1932–1937)

In the weeks after the 1931 Conference, M. W. Rosenbarger, president of the ISBA, thanked Harding for his work, writing, “The directors present at the Conference sincerely hope that the University of Illinois Band Department will favor us again next year with a similar program of instruction.” ³⁹ McAllister, now the president of the National School Band and Orchestra Association (NSBOA), and Maddy, however, had bigger plans for the Conference. In a 1931 letter, McAllister wrote that Maddy

officially expressed a desire on the part of the Committee [on Instrumental Affairs] to conduct same in a manner that would be satisfactory to the band masters and at the same time serve the ideals of better bands and better band music. . . . I was requested to bring the matter up at the National [School Band and Orchestra Association] meeting in Tulsa next May and make this national in its scope. ⁴⁰

The NSBOA and the Committee on Instrumental Affairs were both undergoing significant changes in 1932 as they dealt with the rapid growth of the National Band and National Orchestra Contests, the National Solo and Ensemble Contests, and the economic challenges of the Great Depression. ⁴¹ Representatives of the organization, under the guidance of McAllister and Maddy, met in Chicago in June 1931 to discuss plans and recommendations for the management of the organizations and the contests. One matter that was decided was “the making of the Mid-west Clinic, which is held at the University of Illinois annually, national and official representing the band division of the National School Band and Orchestra Association.” ⁴²

Harding and McAllister worked closely in the months leading up to the 1932 clinic in order to plan a full schedule of events (please see Table 2 for information on the 1932–1937 clinics). Harding had not, up to this point, charged any registration fee for the Bandmasters’ Conferences, but McAllister suggested a fee of $2 to cover “the expenses of the talent and such printing and postage.” ⁴³ A tri-fold brochure announcing the “National Band Clinic presented through the cooperation of the University of Illinois Third Annual Band Masters’ Conference and National School Band Association” was sent to NSBOA members in late December and included all the pertinent information regarding the schedule, registration fee, and housing. ⁴⁴ The final schedule can be seen in Figure 2.

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Table 2.

Dates, Names, and Attendance of the UIL Band Clinics (1932–1937).

Dates	Title	Attendance
January 6–9, 1932	Annual Bandmasters’ Conference and National Band Clinic	134
January 5–7, 1933	Annual Bandmasters’ Conference and National Band Clinic	175
January 4–6, 1934	Annual Bandmasters’ Conference and National Band Clinic	191
January 10–12, 1935	Annual Bandmasters’ Conference and National Band Clinic	203
January 9–10, 1936	Annual Bandmasters’ Conference and National Band Clinic	370
January 7–8, 1937	University of Illinois Band Clinic, National Band Clinic, and National Orchestra Clinic	“over five-hundred”

Sources: “Bandmasters’ Conference—January 6–9, 1932,” Harding Papers; “Registration List—National Band Clinic, January 5–7, 1933,” Harding Papers; “Registration List—National Band Clinic, January 4–6, 1934,” Harding Papers; “National Bandmasters Clinic January 10–12, 1935,” Harding Papers; Untitled list, n.d., Harding Papers (location of list suggests it is from 1936 clinic); “The Sixth and Last National Band Clinic,” The School Musician 8, no. 5 (January 1937): 6–7.

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Figure 2.

National Band Clinic Schedule, 1932.

The December 1931 edition of The School Musician, which served as the primary source for all NSBOA announcements and information, highlighted the upcoming clinic’s importance on the impact of the future of the National Contests, going so far as to call it “the Bandmasters’ Boston Tea Party.” ⁴⁵ Aside from presenting the clinic schedule and other information, McAllister asserted the “assemblage is charged with the disposal of so many matters of importance to school band masters, instrumental supervisors, and school officials, concerning bands, band music, contests, management, etc., that it is difficult to say which is of greatest importance.” ⁴⁶

Attendees of the clinic came from thirteen states and included composer Harry Alford, Glenn C. Bainum, director of bands at Northwestern University, and marimba virtuoso, Clair Musser. ⁴⁷ The clinic was reported as being “the most edifying and practical event School Bandmasters have ever had the opportunity to attend. . . . The Clinic activities unfolded from day to day with such increasing interest that it became difficult to stop sessions long enough to snatch a bit of food and hurry back for more study.” ⁴⁸ The event appeared to be largely informal, with attendees coming and going from sessions as necessary and band members appearing in casual daily attire rather than uniforms. Noting the success of the clinic, the report stated, “It was a natural sequence that the same place should be unanimously designated for the next annual meeting of the National School Band Association with the Clinic in connection. This next Clinic will take place at approximately the same time of the year in 1933.” ⁴⁹

The 1933 Clinic followed a schedule similar to the previous year, but with one notable addition: a memorial session dedicated to John Philip Sousa, who passed away in March 1932. ⁵⁰ A preview of the upcoming Clinic noted the financial difficulties of the time, stating, “Those who attended last year, many of whom strained the ties that bind their pocketbooks in order to make the trip, came away with hearts filled with gratitude for the abundance of workable benefit they got out of the Clinic.” ⁵¹ In spite of the difficulties, attendance continued to grow and included first-time attendees composer Newell Long, publishers Carl H. Fischer and C. L. Barnhouse, and percussionist William F. Ludwig. ⁵² The tenor of the Clinic was noticeably different from the previous year. Ralph E. Rush, first vice president of the NSBA, stated:

It has been interesting to me to observe the different attitude of Bandmasters here this year, compared with the feeling that prevailed last year. . . . Last year, there were grievances and little cliques of opinion, but this year, there has been none of that sort of thing at all. I think this is because of our getting together at this Clinic when we are not in the heat of a Contest. ⁵³

An example of this different attitude can be found in Friday evening’s Smoker, a more informal meeting that appeared to have been a rousing affair: “‘Colonel’ Harding introduced a novelty in a special arrangement of ‘William to Hell” Overture. Words fail us. Even if it hadn’t been good, we would have liked it. And somewhere in that which follows, Bill Bell had occasion to play the piccolo part from ‘The Stars and Stripes’ on a double B flat tuba. And if you think that isn’t an accomplishment, try it.” ⁵⁴

The 1934 National Band Clinic included two notable additions. The first was the attendance of Mark Hindsley, who would become Harding’s assistant later that year. ⁵⁵ The second significant addition to the Clinic was the creation of a student Clinic Band, composed of 111 male students from Illinois schools, by recommendation of their director. The ensemble, organized by G. W. Patrick, President of the ISBA, was conducted by a number of guests, including Harding, Grabel, Bachman, Bainum, and Frank Simon, former member of the Sousa Band and conductor of the Armco Band, a professional touring ensemble. ⁵⁶ The band assembled on January 3 and performed a reading session on the afternoon of January 4 and a formal concert the next evening. ⁵⁷ Although not on the schedule, the band also broadcasted a performance on WILL, the local radio station operated by the University, during the morning of January 5. ⁵⁸

The Clinic Band continued for the 1935 clinic, but with a somewhat different selection process. Patrick informed Harding of the change, writing, “The core of the band will be taken from the winning bands at the National [Contest] in 1934. The remainder will be selected from the Class A bands, members of the National [Contest], in Illinois.” ⁵⁹ As with the previous year, students were selected based on recommendation of their directors according to their “experience, sight reading ability, placement in contests, familiarity with the upper part of the 1935 selected contest music list and any other information that will make possible a comparative judgment.” ⁶⁰ An inspection of the ninety-eight-member roster from the 1935 clinic reveals the band was, once again, composed of all males. Edwin Franko Goldman, composer and conductor of the Goldman Band, served as the principal guest conductor, but various pieces were also conducted by Harding, McAllister, Revelli, Bainum, and others. ⁶¹ The schedule for Thursday and Friday remained largely unchanged from previous years, but the Saturday schedule was limited to only a morning meeting of the Music Committee of the NSBA. ⁶²

The growth in the event since its inception required some changes to be made, and McAllister invited Harding to a meeting of the NSBA leadership to discuss possible changes to the upcoming 1936 clinic. One topic to be discussed was how to make the clinic a self-sustaining event. The University of Illinois had provided all facilities without charge, but the NSBA provided funding for all mailings and any guest conductor expenses. As the event grew, the funds necessary to cover all expenses also grew and McAllister’s desire to discuss financial changes suggest it was becoming a burden for the organization. Another topic to be discussed was arranging the program in such a way that every contest piece would be heard. To this end, McAllister wanted to explore the possibility of expanding to two student clinic bands or to add a high school band to the program along with the clinic band, which would allow for more pieces to be played without overtaxing the players. ⁶³

Attendance rose considerably for the 1936 clinic, with 370 attendees from 23 states. ⁶⁴ Herbert L. Clarke, former cornet soloist with the Sousa Band and conductor of the Long Beach Municipal Band, served as the primary guest conductor for the clinic and participated in a number of roundtable discussions. ⁶⁵ To help cover expenses, the registration fee was increased to $3 for NSBA members and $5 for nonmembers. ⁶⁶ As was suggested, the student clinic band was expanded to two ninety-member ensembles. More than four hundred applications were received from class A and B schools and 180 male students from thirty-eight schools in seven states were placed by Patrick and assistant Forrest McAllister, director of the Joliet Grade School Band, into either the Red Band or Blue Band. ⁶⁷ Each ensemble was assigned certain Class A, B, and C contest pieces, which were indicated in the clinic schedule according to their number on the contest list. The addition of the second student band reduced the demands on the UIL bands, which allowed the University Concert Band to present one session of contest pieces on Thursday afternoon and a separate session on Friday afternoon dedicated to unpublished manuscripts. ⁶⁸ The finale of the clinic was a mock contest on Friday evening between the Red and Blue Bands, with a prelude concert by the University Concert Band. ⁶⁹

By 1936, the National Band and Orchestra Contests, operated by the NSBA and the NSOA, had grown to a point where their size made them difficult to manage in terms of facilities and finances. Thirteen bands participated in the first National Band Contest in 1926; participation in the 1936 Contest had grown to sixty-six bands and also included the National Solo and Ensemble Contest, which added hundreds of additional events. ⁷⁰ Following the 1936 Band Contest, the NSBA and NSOA began to consider a move to a regional contest format to help alleviate some of these challenges and to allow more bands and orchestras to participate. ⁷¹ Just as the first National Band Clinic in 1932 had been organized, in part, to permit the NSBA and their members to discuss changes to the contest, the NSBA and NSOA planned to utilize the 1937 clinic to discuss and vote upon a proposed regional plan. As this would include not just band directors but also orchestra directors, the decision was made by NSBA to expand the 1937 clinic to include orchestral sessions on Friday morning, stating that “all of the fine features of past clinics have been retained, and to them have been added several innovations tending to a wider field of usefulness and appeal.” ⁷² As part of this expansion, the University of Illinois Orchestra, conducted by F. B. Stiven, would serve as the reading ensemble for all of the orchestra contest pieces. ⁷³

The official program of the Sixth Annual National Band Clinic, the Eighth Annual University of Illinois Band Clinic, and First National Orchestra Clinic presents a schedule very similar to the previous year, with the addition of an orchestra session at 9 a.m. on Friday morning. ⁷⁴ The Red and Blue student clinic bands, conducted by Edwin Franko Goldman and Frank Simon, presented contest numbers throughout the clinic. The University of Illinois Concert Band presented a single reading session of contest pieces and a session of new manuscripts and arrangements as well as formal concerts on both evenings of the clinic. ⁷⁵ Discussion of the proposed regional format took place during business meetings on Thursday morning and Friday evening and was voted on and accepted by those in attendance. ⁷⁶

The Move to a Regional Format and the National Music Clinic (1938–1940)

A January 1937 School Musician article reviewing the clinic carried an important title: “The Sixth and Last National Band Clinic.” ⁷⁷ In moving to a regional contest format, the decision was also made to forego the national clinic in favor of state and regional clinics. McAllister acknowledged the efforts of Harding in propagating the clinic concept, but also noted that “Universities and many state districts . . . now conduct their own Clinics, some of which equal in size and efficiency the National.” ⁷⁸ As such, McAllister states that “much duplication of effort is noticeable and unless some guidance considered, the maximum benefit for the time and money spent will not be realized.” ⁷⁹ McAllister suggested a clinic plan in which each state would hold their own reading sessions near the beginning of the school year, followed a few months later by a state clinic, which would then be followed by a Regional Clinic planned by the regional Board of Directors with the cooperation of a university. ⁸⁰

Although McAllister had announced the end of the National Clinic, Harding intended to continue with his original clinic concept in 1938 (please see Table 3 for information on the 1938–1940 clinics). The Ninth Annual University of Illinois Band Clinic, at the invitation of Harding, also served as the NSBA Region 3 Clinic. ⁸¹ While no schedule for the clinic could be located, information in the clinic review suggests the format was largely unchanged from previous years, with the Urbana High School Band, under the direction of Clarence Sawhill, taking the place of the former student clinic bands to read a number of contest pieces. ⁸² At the annual informal Smoker, those in attendance made the decision to “hereafter return to a national scope for this affair, instead of confining it to the border lines of Region 3.” ⁸³

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Table 3.

Dates, Names, and Attendance of the UIL Clinics (1938-1940).

Dates	Title	Attendance
January 6–8, 1938	University of Illinois Band Clinic	229
January 5–7, 1939	National Music Clinic	478
January 4–6, 1940	University of Illinois Band Clinic and Region 3 Annual Music Clinic	223

Source: “Registration 9th Annual Bandmasters Clinic—January 6, 7, an 8, 1938,” Harding Papers; “1939 Urbana Registration List,” Harding Papers; “Registration Music Clinic Region III January 4, 5, 6, 1940,” Harding Papers.

Their decision was either influential or prophetic. McAllister announced the return of the “National Clinic” in 1939 as a “joint sponsorship of the University of Illinois Band Department and the National School Band Association” and that the event would be expanded to include orchestral and vocal sessions, organized by the NSOA and the National School Vocal Association (NSVA). ⁸⁴ The three national organizations had met previously at the biennial Music Educators National Conference (MENC) convention in St. Louis in 1938 to discuss a potential change to a regional contest format, but since no MENC convention would be held in 1939, the return and expansion of the UIL clinic to a national format provided the opportunity for the organizations to make needed decisions about “standards, methods, and ideals which will be carried out in each of the ten national regions.” ⁸⁵

Expansion to include orchestral and vocal events required considerable planning. Along with the UIL bands and the return of two ninety-piece student bands, the clinic also included the UIL Orchestra, a ninety-piece student clinic orchestra, the UIL Chorus, and the Springfield (IL) High School Choir. ⁸⁶ Estimates place the number of ensemble players for the clinic at nearly one thousand. ⁸⁷ The inclusion of choirs and a student orchestra may have had other repercussions for the all-male student clinic bands. In soliciting nominations from directors for the clinic band, G.W. Patrick wrote the following: “Only boys will be enrolled in these groups” (underlining in original). ⁸⁸ Expansion also required more careful consideration of the usage of the UIL facilities, particularly in regard to the use of the auditorium for reading sessions and performances as well as a rehearsal space for the student and UIL ensembles. ⁸⁹

The schedule for the National Music Clinic was indeed complex. As in previous years, the Clinic Bands convened the day prior to the start of the conference for rehearsals and performed afternoon and evening reading session on January 5. The schedule for the first two days included numerous clinic sessions and association meetings as well as reading sessions and concert performances by the Clinic Bands and the UIL bands. The final day was primarily dedicated to orchestra and vocal sessions, with the student clinic orchestra performing contest selections during the morning and afternoon sessions. The Springfield High School Choir presented a morning clinic and was followed in the afternoon by the UIL Choir. The closing event, completed at 5 p.m., was a reading session by the UIL Orchestra. ⁹⁰

The inclusion of orchestra and choral events at the 1939 clinic pushed attendance to 478 with an estimate of approximately 1,400 participants. ⁹¹ In a review of the event, Striven, who was also the UIL School of Music Director, is quoted as saying, “We have demonstrated in the manner that will convince all skeptics that we can run a three-ring circus. I am sure this plan will continue.” ⁹² McAllister further acknowledges difficulties with the rising number of attendees and the UIL facilities, stating, “The attendance in many instances exceeded the facilities provided for them. The national Officers will immediately give attention to this phase of the Clinic for next year.” ⁹³

The return to a national scope was, however, only a one-year occurrence. The NSBA Board of Directors and regional chairmen voted for “a change in the character of the Clinic” and “to return to the original regional plan for clinics” in 1940. ⁹⁴ A recommendation was made for King Stacy, the chairmen of Region 3, which included Illinois, to “either arrange a clinic or for official recognition of the original University of Illinois clinic to care for the needs of this region.” ⁹⁵ Harding consented to combining with the Region 3 clinic, but some fissures of disagreement soon began to appear. A letter from Stacy to Harding indicated Harding was unhappy that, in serving as the Region 3 clinic, orchestra and vocal sessions would again need to be added to the schedule. In the letter, Stacy wrote:

I agree with you thoroughly about the vocal, etc. stepping in on the Band Clinic, but under the circumstances, as General Chairman of Region Three, I believe you understand my position. I hope you do not think that we are trying “to run” YOUR Clinic. As, after all, most of us at least, realize that it really is your clinic. ⁹⁶

Adding intrigue to the demise of the National Clinic, a letter from composer Karl L. King to Harding notes that King had heard rumors that the “Nat Clinic” was called off and asks if a state or regional clinic was to be held in Urbana. King continues, “I have also heard rumors to the effect that Revelli tried to take the Nat away from you. If so, NUTS to him.” ⁹⁷

The schedule for the Eleventh Annual University of Illinois Band Clinic and Region 3 Annual Music Clinic included a mixture of band, orchestra, and vocal sessions throughout the three-day clinic. ⁹⁸ A clinic choir and orchestra, composed of students from schools within Region 3, were formed for the event to read contest pieces, but UIL ensembles presented all band performances. ⁹⁹

The University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic” and the War Years (1941–1947)

The Twelfth Annual University of Illinois Band Clinic in 1941 saw a return to a band-only format. This title would continue throughout the remainder of its history, but hereafter it was often accompanied by the secondary title “The Original Clinic” (please see Table 4 for information on the 1941–1947 clinics). ¹⁰⁰ The December 1940 School Musician goes further, calling the clinic “the daddy of all band clinics.” ¹⁰¹ Without the need to address the requests of the NSBA or regional chairmen, Harding was able to streamline and concentrate the schedule as he saw fit, as seen in the schedule in Figure 3. A review of the schedule suggests that although contest numbers were still performed, more emphasis was being placed on new literature. The seventy-five pieces on the traditional questionnaire sent out to directors, now called the “Bandmasters Readers Digest,” indicates all of the pieces were either recently published or nearing publication. ¹⁰²

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Table 4.

Dates, Names, and Attendance of the UIL Band Clinics (1941–1947).

Dates	Title	Attendance
January 9–10, 1941	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	159
January 8–9, 1942	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	103
January 14–15, 1943	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	118
January 13–14, 1944	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	130
January 11–12, 1945	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	105
January 10–11, 1946	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	110
January 9–10, 1947	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	“over 300”

Source: “Twelfth Annual Band Clinic—January 9 and 10, 1941,” Harding Papers; “Thirteenth Annual Band Clinic—January 8–9, 1942,” Harding Papers; “Fourteenth Annual Band Clinic January 14–15, 1943,” Harding Papers; “15th Annual Band Clinic—January 13–14, 1944 Bandmasters Register,” Harding Papers; “Sixteenth Annual Band Clinic—January 11–12, 1945,” Harding Papers; “Seventeenth Annual Band Clinic—January 10 and 11, 1946,” Harding Papers; “Over 300 Directors and Publishers Hear New Music at 18th U. of Illinois Clinic,” The School Musician 18, no. 6 (1947): 19.

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Figure 3.

University of Illinois Band Clinic Schedule, 1941.

The next few years would prove to be difficult for the university bands and the clinic as the United States entered World War II. The Thirteenth Annual Clinic took place January 8–9, 1942, only a month after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. ¹⁰³ Registration for the event fell to 103 people, possibly because of the turmoil of a nation going to war or perhaps because of the scheduling of the Region 3 Clinic at Northwestern University for January 16–17, only a week after the UIL Clinic. ¹⁰⁴ In announcing the dates for the Fourteenth Annual Clinic in 1943, Harding noted the clinic would be held a week later than usual “owing to the restrictions on railroad travel between December 15 and January 10.” ¹⁰⁵ The schedule was similar to the prior two years, although one interesting addition was a symposium session on

school wartime problems, including round table discussions of such problems as: (a) Schools music students place in the war effort. (b) Importance of developing junior high groups. (c) School band during the war. (d) School band after the war. (e) Patriotic material for concert and other occasions. ¹⁰⁶

Harding appears to have received some pressure to stop the clinic during wartime, but stated, “considering the number of inquiries . . . we had decided to continue with the band clinics during wartime.” ¹⁰⁷ The announcement of the 1944 Clinic suggested Harding’s bands had suffered in numbers because of the war, stating “the selective service program has marched heavily through the band building” and that only one band would perform as part of the Clinic. ¹⁰⁸ To ease their burden, Harding invited the 5th and 472nd Air Force Bands from Chanute Air Force Base, just fifteen miles north of Champaign, to perform a concert in the afternoon of the final day. In a noticeable change to the clinic scope, neither the University Concert Band nor the band from Chanute performed pieces from that year’s contest list. ¹⁰⁹ The Bandmasters Readers Digest also showed the effects of the war, with the 115 pieces included on the list divided into four sections: new publications, new manuscripts, marches, and “Special Music for Wartime Programs.” ¹¹⁰

The 1945 Band Clinic would present its own unique challenges and opportunities. The most noticeable of these was the absence of Harding from the event. In a letter to the executive members of Illinois School Band Association, Harding’s longtime secretary, Velma Roberts, wrote that Harding was unable to write because of illness. ¹¹¹ Further investigation shows Harding was not ill, but was attending to his wife, Margaret, who passed away on January 12, 1945. ¹¹² The clinic proceeded in his absence through the efforts of Clarence Sawhill, who was acting as assistant director in the absence of Hindsley, who was serving in the US Army Air Forces. ¹¹³ With the University Concert Band continuing to suffer in numbers and the band from Chanute Air Force Base unavailable to perform, the schedule included only one reading session of new publications and manuscripts on each day as well as a concert on the evening of January 11. ¹¹⁴ Only two clinic sessions were held on the first day, but the first of these showed an interesting change: “Observation of student conducting, emphasizing participation of women students.” ¹¹⁵

Even as World War II drew to a close in the summer of 1945, the clinic dealt with some lingering effects in 1946. The president of the University, Arthur C. Willard, had decreed that because of a housing shortage, all conferences and conventions at the University were to be limited to only one day. ¹¹⁶ Rather than curtailing the event to a single day, Harding devised a stealthy solution: the clinic would be scheduled for Friday, January 11, but they would “fudge a little with an open rehearsal Thursday afternoon and a social session that evening for those visiting bandmasters who have been able to secure hotel reservations for Thursday night.” ¹¹⁷ The official program of the 1946 Band Clinic lists the dates as January 10–11, with the open rehearsal by the University Band, a social “mixer” at the local YMCA, and a concert for the first evening. The second day was shorter than previous years, ending with a reading session at 4 p.m., but included four clinic sessions and the return of an afternoon reading session of class B and C contest literature. ¹¹⁸

With the specter of war no longer looming over the nation, Harding hoped to return the 1947 clinic to its prewar glory. Enrollment in the university’s ensembles had returned to prewar levels, allowing for a full Concert Band and the return of the First Regimental Band, which would once again be led by Hindsley, who had returned to his role as Harding’s assistant. ¹¹⁹ Harding also planned to revive the Student Clinic Band to “read through a great volume of Class D literature,” ¹²⁰ but its absence from the final schedule suggests he was unable to do so. The schedule, otherwise, closely matched the one from the 1941 clinic. ¹²¹

The Hindsley Years and the End of the Clinics (1948–1954)

In the announcement for the 1948 clinic, Hindsley is listed “as the general chairman of the event, and will share conducting honors with Dr. Harding” (please see Table 5 for information on the 1948–1954 clinics). ¹²² The reason for the change would not become evident until the start of the clinic when it was announced that Harding, now sixty-eight and having served as Director of Bands for forty-three years, was preparing to retire at the end of the 1947–1948 academic year. ¹²³ Calling the Nineteenth Clinic his “swan song,” ¹²⁴ Harding received a “Resolution of Appreciation” from attendees, which read, in part, “Your vision and leadership in originating the idea of a special clinic for band directors has had a profound influence on the development of better band literature and has been followed by numerous clinics organized by various associations throughout the United States.” ¹²⁵ The clinic schedule continued as in previous years and included the return of the Second Regimental Band on the afternoon of January 9 to read Class C and D literature. ¹²⁶

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Table 5.

Dates, Names, and Attendance of the UIL Band Clinics (1948-1953).

Dates	Title	Attendance
January 8–9, 1948	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	“over 200”
January 6–7, 1949	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	Unknown
January 5–7, 1950	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	“more than 150”
January 11–13, 1951	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	Unknown
January 10–12, 1952	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	Unknown
January 8–10, 1953	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	Unknown
January 7–10, 1954	University of Illinois Band Clinic “The Original Clinic”	Unknown

Source: Resolution of Appreciation to Harding, 1948, Harding Papers; “Original Band Clinic Comes of Age in Urbana’s 21st Triumph,” The School Musician 21, no. 6 (1950): 17.

Following Harding’s retirement, Hindsley was named interim director, a title he would retain until 1950 when he was promoted to Director of Bands on a permanent basis. ¹²⁷ No official schedule of the 1949 clinic could be found, but a preview of the event indicates “The established pattern of the clinic will remain intact” and noted reading sessions each day by the UIL Concert Band with additional assistance from the First and Second Regimental Bands. ¹²⁸ While the clinic had been covered by The School Musician extensively since its beginnings, the December article would be the only mention of the 1949 event.

For the 1950 clinic, Hindsley expanded the schedule to three days to accommodate a performance by the Collinsville (IL) Band, directed by Franklin C. Kreider, on January 6, as well as open studio times with University instructors during the next morning. Another notable change was the addition of a forum session for publishers and instrument manufacturers. ¹²⁹ Throughout the previous twenty years, no time during the clinics had been specifically allotted to music businesses.

While no direct evidence could be found regarding a 1951 clinic in either the Hindsley Papers at the University of Illinois nor in The School Musician, articles in The Daily Illini, the student-run newspaper of the University of Illinois, indicates all three university bands again performed concerts, with the closing session by the Concert Band as “a reading of new band materials in an all-request program.” ¹³⁰

In announcing the 1952 Band Clinic, Hindsley stated, “We are pleased again this year to have as our special guests the leaders and assistant leaders of bands in the Air Force Training Command, representatives of bands in other Air Force Commands, the Washington staff of the United States Air Force Band, and the members of the 505th Air Force Band of Chanute Air Force Base.” ¹³¹ The military personnel attended the clinic, but also held their own sessions, supervised by Maj. George Attridge and assisted by Hindsley, at Chanute the day before the Clinic. ¹³² The USAF Band, under Col. George Howard, also performed a guest concert on the evening of January 11 on the UIL campus. The First and Second Regimental Bands read contest literature that afternoon and the Concert Band performed a formal concert and two reading sessions during the clinic. ¹³³ The programs for the Concert Band sessions and concert show a pronounced change from the Harding years: the vast majority of the pieces performed were not manuscripts, but recently published works, including Vincent Persichetti’s Divertimento for Band, William Schuman’s George Washington Bridge, Gordon Jacob’s Music for a Festival, and Robert Russell Bennett’s arrangement of The King and I. ¹³⁴

The schedule for the 1953 clinic was similar in structure to the previous year, but indications show all the University bands performing “selected new materials,” including a reading of Hindemith’s Symphony in Bb by the Concert Band. Edwin Franko Goldman served as the guest conductor and the 505th Band from Chanute presented a session on instrumentation and literature for small bands. ¹³⁵

To celebrate the clinic’s twenty-fifth anniversary in 1954, Hindsley invited Harding to return as guest conductor and combined the event with the biennial meeting of the North Central Division of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA). ¹³⁶ Hindsley stated, “Our clinic will begin on Thursday, January 7 and last through the 8th. The dates, January 9 and 10, are reserved for the CBDNA program.” ¹³⁷ The official brochure for the clinic simply lists the dates as January 7–10 with the only indication of a split program being a separate CBDNA registration time on January 9. The addition of the CBDNA meeting and the extra day allowed for more sessions to be offered over the four days as well as performances by other ensembles, such as the Indiana University Brass Ensemble, Michigan State Woodwind Quintet, and the University of Illinois Percussion Ensemble. All three bands from the university performed new material, and a special alumni band was congregated to perform under Harding during and evening concert entitled, “For Auld Lang Syne.” ¹³⁸

The silver anniversary of the University of Illinois Band Clinic proved to be its last. The clinics were discontinued and “replaced by a series of band festivals,” the first of which was held December 15 and 16, 1954, in conjunction with the national convention of the American School Band Directors Association and featured performances by the University Concert Band under Hindsley with guest conductors Harding and Goldman. ¹³⁹ In 1956, the Festival moved to January 13 and 14 with performances by the Concert Band and Regimental Bands as well as “a forum, ‘Modern Trends in Concert Band,’ conducted by [Glenn Cliffe] Bainum.” ¹⁴⁰ The Festival would continue to be a yearly event held in early- to mid-January into the 1970s. ¹⁴¹

No clear reason is ever provided for the end of the UIL Clinics, but a few conjectures can be made. One possible explanation may be the emergence and growth of state and regional conferences following the regional plan adopted by NSBA in 1937. The Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) held its first state conference, then called the “Illinois High School Music Activity,” on November 26 and 27, 1948, on the campus of the University of Illinois. ¹⁴² Other conferences, in some cases, competed directly with the UIL Clinics for attendees. As one example, the January and February 1948 editions of the School Musician include announcements or reports for the Arkansas All State Band Clinic, the Colorado Music Educators Clinic, and the Midwestern Conference on School Vocal and Instrumental Music, all held less than a month away from the traditional UIL Clinic dates. ¹⁴³ With quality options closer to home, some school directors may have chosen to attend those clinics because of the decreased transportation time and cost.

Another possible explanation is the founding of other national-scale conferences, particularly the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) National Conference and The Midwest Clinic. The CBDNA National Conference was held in mid-December in Chicago annually from 1946 until 1950 and then biennially from 1952 until 1962. ¹⁴⁴ Being less than a month before the typical UIL Clinic dates, it is possible that college directors, many of whom had attended the clinics, were left to decide which event to attend and opted to attend CBDNA for whatever reasons. Additionally, Hindsley had become heavily involved in CBDNA upon his return from the war, including serving as the organization’s president 1947, and was frequently involved in planning the conference. ¹⁴⁵ It is possible that planning both the UIL and CBDNA events in such proximity to one another was simply too taxing and time consuming.

The Midwest Clinic, one of the largest band and orchestra conferences in the United States, was first held on December 7, 1946, and has been held annually in Chicago in mid-December since that time. ¹⁴⁶ As with the CBDNA conference, the proximity of Midwest to the typical UIL Clinic dates may have affected attendance as it would be difficult for directors to attend both conferences in such a small window of time. Additionally, travel and accommodations were far more accessible in Chicago than at the UIL campus. In an interview, Dvorak stated, “The Midwest had the advantage of a big city and it was being held in a hotel where at the campus of the University of Illinois, you don’t have an auditorium available. You don’t have it all in one building.” ¹⁴⁷ Dvorak suggested the UIL Clinics’ lack of support for music business may have had an impact on their long-term viability, stating that for the Midwest Clinic, “The instrumental manufacturers, publishers—in other words, business—is accommodated. That’s the secret.” ¹⁴⁸ Dvorak also pointed to the perception of public school directors that the UIL Clinics focused on unpublished works that were too difficult for their bands while The Midwest Clinic featured published works that were more appropriate for their ensembles. ¹⁴⁹ Despite their differences in approaches, the schedules of the two events were quite similar, as can be seen in Figure 4, particularly in terms of the scope of the performances in presenting new works and contest pieces as well as the inclusion of a more informal event (the “banter” and the “smoker”) on the first evening.

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Figure 4.

Midwest Clinic Schedule, 1947, and University of Illinois Band Clinic Schedule, 1948.

Conclusion

Regardless of the reasons for their discontinuation, the influence of the University of Illinois Band Clinics, in its many forms and iterations, on the growth and development of similar events throughout the United States is perhaps its lasting legacy. Owing to the popularity of the Clinics, the “idea has spread rapidly throughout the country into state clinics which are now having their offsprings in the smaller but very popular district clinics.” ¹⁵⁰ As an indication of this, “Nearly every university in the big ten as well as many independent school music organizations now have their own clinics. But the University of Illinois event remains the daddy of them all.” ¹⁵¹ Harding’s desire to provide educators the opportunity to gather on an annual basis to hear the performance of new works and arrangements and to discuss current trends, pedagogies, and teaching techniques was an important step in the growth of the profession. The structure and scope of today’s music education conferences, both at the state and the national level, still mimics that of the UIL Clinics, with sessions on pedagogy and a multitude of other topics intermingled with performances by both large and small ensembles. Further studies into the history and development of state and national conferences, particularly those in midwestern states (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, etc.) may further reveal the influence of the UIL Clinics and other early conferences on the structure and scope of today’s professional development events. Additional research on the impact of the UIL Clinics on the development of school band programs in the 1920 and 1930s in the Midwest, particularly within Illinois, may also yield some interesting findings. Finally, a thorough review of the music lists from the UIL Clinics, both during and after the school band contest era, may yield information on their importance to the development of school band literature during a significant period of growth.