Irving S. Gilmore School of Music

Spring Conference History

Western Michigan University's Spring Conference on Wind and Percussion Music was first held April 12, 1969, when Miller Auditorium was one year old. It was the brainchild of Carl Bjerregarrd, who conducted the University Wind Ensemble from 1968 to 1976 and was director of bands from 1972 to 1976. Subsequent conferences have been hosted by Eddie Green (1977 to 1979), Richard Suddendorf (1980 to 1991), Jeffrey Renshaw (1992 to 1993), Robert Spradling (1994 to 2013), and Scott Boerma (2014 to present). School of Music Associate Director Carl Doubleday coordinated logistics for the first 42 conferences (1969 to 2010), and Director of Concerts Kevin West has done so since 2011.

+ new work premiered

1969 John Barnes Chance +

1970 Clifton Williams +, Phillip Rhodes, Robert W. Jones +, Paul Harder

1971 H. Owen Reed +, Robert Jager +, Robert Washburn +, Ramon Zupko +, William Penn

1972 Vincent Persichetti

1973 W. Francis McBeth, Irving Kane, William Penn

1974 Karel Husa

1975 Frederick Fennell, Jere Hutcheson, Kenneth Snoeck, Ramon Zupko

1976 William D. Revelli, Fisher A. Tull

1977 Norman Dello Joio

1978 Ron Nelson

1979 Vincent Persichetti

1980 Robert Jager

1981 Fischer Tull

1982 Martin Mailman

1983 Karel Husa

1984 James Curnow

1985 Claude T. Smith

1986 Elliot Del Borgo

1987 Anthony Iannaccone

1988 Fischer Tull

1989 James Barnes

1990 Timothy Broege

1991 Timothy Mahr

1992 Frank Ticheli

1993 Anthony Iannaccone +

1994 Mark Camphouse

1995 David Maslanka +

1996 Jack Stamp

1997 Stephen Melillo

1998 David Gillingham

1999 Roger Cichy

2000 Robert W. Smith

2001 Eric Ewazen

2002 Thomas C. Duffy

2003 David R. Holsinger

2004 Eric Whitacre

2005 Andrew Boysen

2006 Michael Daugherty

2007 Eric Ewazen

2008 Samuel R. Hazo

2009 Brian Balmages

2010 Robert Sheldon

2011 Philip Sparke

2012 Jack Stamp

2013 Steven Bryant

2014 John Mackey

2015 Dana Wilson

2016 Frank Ticheli

2017 Steven Bryant

2018 Michael Markowski +

2019 Carter Pann +

2020 Conference cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

2021 Conference not held due to COVID-19 pandemic

2022 Julie Giroux

2023 David Biedenbender

2024 Kevin Day

2025 Viet Cuong

1969  Sturgis High School Symphony Band , Ann Arbor High School Symphony Band, MSBOA District 6 All-Star Band

1970  Otsego High School Wind Ensemble, Muskegon High School Symphonic Band, Cass Tech Symphony Band, MSBOA District 11 All-Star Band

1971 Grosse Pointe South High School Symphony Band, Plymouth High School Symphony Band, MSBOA District 10 All-Star Band

1972 Vicksburg High School Band, Ferris State College Youth Symphony Band, East Lansing High School Wind Ensemble, MSBOA District 6 All-Star Band

1973 Holland Christian High School Symphony Band, Spring Lake High School Symphonic Band, Midland High School Senior Band, MSBOA District 11 All-Star Band

1974 East Detroit High School Symphonic Band

1975 Ann Arbor Huron High School Symphony Band

1976 St. Clair Shores Lakeview High School Concert Band

1977 Traverse City High School Symphony Band, Michigan State University Wind Ensemble

1978 Ann Arbor Pioneer High School Symphony Band, Eastern Michigan University Symphonic Band

1979 Plymouth-Canton High School Symphony Band, Bowling Green State University Symphonic Band

1980 Muskegon High School Symphonic Band, Galesburg-Augusta High School Symphonic Band

1981 Sturgis High School Symphony Band, Grand Ledge High School Symphonic Band

1982 Okemos High School Symphonic Band, Howell High School Symphony Band

1983 Otsego High School Band, Rockford High School Wind Ensemble

1984 Lake Shore High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Pennfield High School Symphonic Band

1985 Grand Ledge High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Grandville High School Symphony Band

1986 Battle Creek Central High School Symphonic Band, Ann Arbor Huron High School Symphony Band

1987 Charlotte High School Symphonic Band, Traverse City High School Symphony Band

1988 Shelby High School Symphony Band, Jenison High School Symphonic Band

1989 Clare High School Symphonic Band, Manistee High School Symphonic Band

1990 Clarkston High School Symphonic Band, Lapeer West High School Symphony Band

1991 Portage Central High School Symphonic Band, Novi High School Symphony Band

1992 Brandywine High School Symphonic Band, East Lansing High School Symphonic Band

1993 Chippewa Hills High School Symphonic Band, Mona Shores High School Wind Ensemble

1994 Mattawan High School Band, Muskegon High School Wind Symphony

1995 Jackson Baptist Royal Concert Band, Grand Ledge High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble

1996 Hastings High School Symphonic Band, Plymouth Canton Educational Park Symphony Band

1997 Grayling High School Band, Andover High School Symphony Band

1998 East Kentwood High School Symphonic Band, Detroit High School for Fine and Performing Arts Symphony Band

1999 Stevensville Lakeshore High School Symphonic Band, Portage Northern High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble

2000 Belleville High School Symphony Band, Rockford High School Wind Ensemble

2001 Berkner High School Symphonic Band II from Richardson, Texas

2002 Ypsilanti High School Wind Symphony, West Ottawa High School Symphony Band

2003 Olivet High School Band, Troy High School Symphonic Band

2004 Lapeer East High School Symphony Band, Dexter High School Symphonic Band

2005 Otsego High School Symphonic Band, Forest Hills Central High School Wind Ensemble

2006 Ann Arbor Pioneer High School Symphony Band, Grand Ledge High School Windy Symphony

2007 East Lansing High School Symphonic Band, Big Rapids High School Wind Symphony

2008 Rockford High School Wind Ensemble, DeSoto (Texas) High School Wind Symphony

2009 Walled Lake Central High School Wind Ensemble, Clarkston High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble

2010 Parchment High School Symphonic Band, Galesburg-Augusta High School Symphonic Band

2011 L'Anse Creuse High School Wind Symphony

2012 Ann Arbor Huron High School Symphony Band, Novi High School Wind Ensemble

2013 Midland High School Symphonic Band, Okemos High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble

2014 Port Huron Northern High School Northern Winds and Percussion, Troy High School Symphonic Band

2015 Saline High School Wind Ensemble, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer High School Wind Ensemble

2016 Jenison High School Wind Symphony, Midland H.H. Dow High School Symphonic Band

2017 East Lansing High School Symphonic Band, Grandville High School Symphonic Winds

2018 Three Rivers High School Symphony Band, Portage Central High School Symphonic Band

2019 Ann Arbor Skyline High School Symphony Band, L'Anse Creuse High School Wind Symphony

2020 Conference cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

2021 Conference not held due to COVID-19 pandemic

2022 Stevensville Lakeshore High School Symphonic Band, Grand Ledge High School Wind Symphony

2023 West Ottawa High School Symphony Band, Traverse City West Senior High Wind Ensemble

2024 Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Wind Ensemble, Ann Arbor Pioneer High School Symphony Band

2025 Williamston High School Symphony Band, Okemos High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble