The Millennium Composers Initiative is excited to announce our return to The Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago, Illinois this year! To learn more about our organization and all of our members, conference attendees can visit Booth #2008 at the conference's exhibition hall. Several scheduled events this year will feature the music of our MCI composers, 10 of which will be in attendance for the conference:

MCI COMPOSERS
Quinn Mason
Casey Thomas
JaRod Hall
Janay Maisano
Chris Evan Hass
Jeff Herwig
Kevin Day
Harrison J. Collins
Isaac Mayhew
Josh Trentadue


PERFORMANCES
JaRod Hall, "Lost Woods Fantasy" (2019) - Berker High School Symphonic Band I; 12/19/19, 3pm-4pm, Skyline Ballroom W375AB

Chris Evan Hass, "Volcanic Ash" (2017) - Donald Sinta Saxophone Quartet; 12/20/19, 12pm-1pm, Ballroom W190

Kevin Day, "Havana" (2018) - Clements High School Symphonic Band; 12/20/19, 6:15-7:15pm, Skyline Ballroom W375AB



NEW MUSIC READING SESSIONS
Josh Trentadue, "Nature's Light" (2018) - Full Orchestra; 12/19/19, 1pm-2:15pm, Meeting Room W184

Josh Trentadue, "The Dance That Never Was" (2019) - Jazz Ensemble
Kevin Day/arr. Josh Trentadue, "Windy City" (2019) - Jazz Ensemble
12/20/19, 10:30am-11:30am, Ballroom W196




​We will be featuring Composer Spotlights for each of these pieces in the coming weeks. We look forward to seeing everyone at this year's Midwest Clinic conference!

The final Composer Spotlight of our collaboration with the Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra features a new combo chart written by MCI composer Kevin Day titled "Windy City." The composer writes the following about this work:

​"Windy City was a chart I wrote in 2017 after attending the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago for the very first time (the title is the nickname for the city). The chart was written for a jazz album I wanted to create that was eventually postponed, so when the opportunity of this collaborative concert came along, it gave me a chance to revisit and revise this material in a new light. When I initially wrote this tune, the biggest challenge that faced me was where it needed to be placed on the album in order to create a cohesive whole. In revisiting it, I wanted to go back and iron out some parts of the material in order to create a greater sense of flow and direction throughout the chart itself. In the end, it's a soaring tune that encapsulates the whirlwind experience of my first trip to Chicago."

TICKETS: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/millennium-composers-initiative-concert-tickets-74454235623

On Tuesday, October 15th, MCI composer Salvador Alan Jacobo's "Fanfare for Earthrealm" will receive its world premiere by the Dallas Winds! Jacobo was one of seven chosen winners for this year's Dallas Winds Brass Fanfare Competition. From their website:

"In 2000 the Dallas Winds established a tradition of performing brass fanfares 15 minutes prior to curtain in the lobby of the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas, for each of its subscription concerts. Our patrons eagerly gather in the lobby to hear these fanfares that have become an important part of the whole concert-going experience."

We had the opportunity to speak with the composer about his new fanfare. Read on to learn more about what inspired him to create this piece:

One of the new works that will be premiered on our October 20th collaborative concert with the Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra features an eclectic balancing of various genres and styles. This is MCI composer Chris Evan Hass's "Scatterbrain."

Learn more about Hass's approach to his new composition below.

TICKETS: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/millennium-composers-initiative-concert-tickets-74454235623