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The Midwest Clinic presents three awards to recognize individuals who have made a major contribution to instrumental music education.

The Medal of Honor was introduced in 1962 as a way to honor conductors, educators, composers, and others whose unique service to music education and continuing influence on the development and improvement of bands and orchestras deserve special recognition.

The Music Industry Award honors individuals for their support of music education through their work in the music industry. This award was introduced in 1991 and is presented at the Exhibitor and Advertiser reception held each year at the conference.

Introduced in 1992, the International Award honors individuals who contribute to instrumental music education from around the globe, reflecting the growth of The Midwest Clinic from an event of national stature to one of international notoriety.

The Midwest Clinic has been pleased to present these awards to the following individuals.

Medal of Honor Award Recipients

2022   Bob Phillips, Pam Phillips, Ronald Carter
2021   Julie Giroux, James Kjelland, Janis Stockhouse
2019   Pamela Tellejohn Hayes, Charles Menghini, and Mallory Thompson
2018   Robert Floyd, Craig Kirchhoff, Stanley F. Nosal, and Mary Jo Papich
2017   John K. Southall and Alfred L. Watkins
2016   James F. Keene and Candido Camero
2015   Eugene Migliaro Corporon and Jerry F. Junkin
2014   Col. Michael J. Colburn
2013   William LaRue Jones and Dorothy Straub
2012   David C. McCormick, H. Owen Reed, Leonard Slatkin, and John Whitwell
2011   Richard L. Floyd and Don Wilcox
2010   L. Dean Angeles, Paula Crider, William P. Foster, and Frank B. Wickes 
2009   Edward S. Lisk, Ellis Marsalis, and Al G. and Gladys Stone Wright 
2008   E. Daniel Long and Weston Noble 
2007   Richard Crain 
2006   Bob McGrath
2005   John Kendall, Col. Eugene Allen, and Ray E. Cramer
2004   Kenneth Bloomquist and Jamey Aebersold
2003   Mark Kelly, Robert Klotman, and Richard Strange
2002   James Croft and H. Robert Reynolds
2001   Frank Battisti and Sammy Nestico
2000   Dorothy Kunkel and Donald Hunsberger
1999   Richard Dunscomb
1998   Bruce Pearson
1997   Frank Bencriscutto and Jacquelyn Dillon-Krass
1996   Karel Husa, Wynton Marsalis, Charles Peters, and Alfred Reed
1995   Barbara Buehlman and Milburn Carey
1994   Himie Voxman
1993   W. Francis McBeth and Col. John R. Bourgeois
1992   Marvin J. Rabin
1991   Clark Terry
1990   Victor W. Zajec and Traugott Rohner
1989   Harry Begian, Frederick Fennell, and Clare Grundman
1988   Donald E. McGinnis and Tom Batiuk
1987   John P. Paynter
1986   Elizabeth A.H. Green
1985   Arnold Jacobs and Jack Fedderson
1984   Leonard Falcone
1983   Forest Buchtel and James Neilson
1982   William Lyons and Richard Madden
1981   Fred Müller and Merle Isaac
1980   Morton Gould
1979   Harry Wenger
1978   Paul Yoder
1977   Forrest McAllister
1976   Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf
1975   Don Malin
1974   George Wilson
1973   Col. Arnald D. Gabriel
1972   Haskell Harr
1971   Neil Kjos, Sr., H.E. Nutt, Howard Lyons, and Richard Brittain
1970   Raymond Dvorak
1969   William D. Revelli and Doc Severinsen
1968   Col. William F. Santlemann
1967   Howard Hanson
1966   Merle Evans
1965   Joe Maddy
1964   Meredith Willson
1963   Max Pottag and William Ludwig, Sr.
1962   Col. Harold Bachman, Glenn C. Bainum, Cmdr. Charles Brendler,
           Karl L. King, and Col. George S. Howard


Music Industry Award Recipients

2021   Iris Manus
2019   Mary Luehrsen
2018   Steve West
2017   Jim Strouse
2016   Denny Senseney
2015   Alec Harris
2014   John Stoner
2013   Joe Lamond
2012   Rick Young
2011   Garwood Whaley 
2010   Jim Catalano 
2009   James Cochran 
2008   John D’Addario, Jr.
2007   Herman Knoll 
2006   John Morgan
2005   M. Max McKee
2004   Edward Harris
2003   Bob Dingley
2002   George Quinlan, Sr.
2001   Frank Fendorf
2000   John O’Reilly
1999   Tim Lautzenheiser
1998   Sandy Feldstein
1997   Charles Barnhouse
1996   Glenn E. Holtz
1995   Arthur Gurwitz
1994   Neil A. Kjos, Jr. and Elizabeth Ludwig Fennell
1993   William R. “Ziggy” Coyle and Rufus Sanders
1992   Vito Pascucci and Robert S. Johnson
1991   William F. Ludwig, Jr.


International Award Recipients

2022  Qian Ni
2021  Bernard Van Doren
2018   Philip Sparke
2017   Mike Tyler
2015   Bert Aalders
2014   Ken, Yuriko and Aki Murakami
2013   Anatoly Dudin
2012   Guido Six
2009   Felix Hauswirth
2007   Leon Bly
2005   Ralph Hultgren
2004   Bernhard Habla
2002   Johann Mösenbichler
2001   Johan de Meij and Harry Pinchin
1998   Geoffrey Brand
1997   Keith Mann
1996   Timothy Reynish
1995   Wolfgang Suppan
1994   Jan Molenaar
1993   Martin Boundy
1992   Toshio Akiyama and Russell Hammond