The Spring Conference on Wind and Percussion Music at Western Michigan University

The year, 1998, marked the thirtieth anniversary of the Spring Conference o n Wind and Percussion Music, held annually at Western Michigan University. The Spring Conference was established in 1969 "to promote the performance, understanding and composition of quality wind and percussion literature" (B jerregaard, 1996 & Programs, 1969-1996). This conference is but one event a mong many dedicated to raising the artistic level and performance standard of music written for the wind band medium. It has proven beneficial by prov iding composers with a forum for their works, participants with a special o pportunity to encounter the composers on a personal level, and band conduct ors with new and quality additions to the repertoire. The continued success of the conference is a result of substance in the form of noteworthy guest composers/conductors, and strong design which has seen only minor changes in thirty years.