This historical study chronicles the creation, development, and termination of the Midwestern Conference on School Vocal and Instrumental Music, hosted by the University of Michigan between 1946 and 2005. Beginning as a band music reading session led by William Revelli in 1936, the conference developed into a premier professional workshop by the early 1960s. The event continually grew over its first three decades, and nationally prominent musicians and educators headlined the event each year. By the 1990s, the Midwestern Conference remained the primary professional development opportunity for music educators in Michigan, but it drew far fewer clinicians of national import. Fractures and disagreements between the university and the co-sponsoring state music education associations eventually led to the event's termination in 2006. Implications for future research are discussed.