The Symphony Orchestra is applying to perform at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic held in Chicago in December 2014.

Orchestra director Elisabeth Ohly-Davis said the orchestra was scheduled to record Antonin Dvořák’s “Symphony No. 8” on Dec. 10 in order to submit it to the Midwest Clinic, a program where a lot of secondary schools from the Midwest area audition to be in a music festival.

“The Midwest Clinic is kind of like the music educators’ conference to go to. I’ve attended several times before. People from all over the world come to the Clinic and meet each other and see different groups perform,” Ohly-Davis said.

According to Hyesoo Chae, Symphony  Orchestra violinist and senior, the clinic provides students with a chance to hang out with the orchestra members more and to learn as a group.

“It basically brings people from all over the nation, but mostly the Midwest, to perform and work with world-distinguished conductors and just gives a chance for the students to work with professors or musicians who are at the professional level.” Chae said. “It provides the students with an opportunity to learn more about playing in general, whether it is performing in a group or solo. Although I’m not going to be there next year, I’ve heard from the group that went five years ago that it’s a really cool experience.”

According to Ohly-Davis, the clinic only happens every five years for a particular school.

“Midwest Clinic happens every year. They want to give as many people a chance as possible. So yes, there is a five-year waiting period between tries that you can take. No orchestra will go every year. That wouldn’t be fair, necessarily,” Ohly-Davis said.

Carmel last performed at the event in December 2009 and even though schools can only perform every five years, Symphony Orchestra still practices for the event annually.

“One of the things that Midwest is looking (for) is a consistent level of your program, so that not one year is really strong. (For instance), we’ll have this year’s seniors auditioning for it, but won’t be playing with us next December,” Ohly-Davis said. “They want to make sure that the younger students coming up are just as strong to replace those top players that are leaving.”

Ohly-Davis also said Soo Han, orchestra director and co-department chairperson of the performing arts department, has high expectations for this year’s recording.

“The students have worked so hard for this semester for the upcoming project. I’m incredibly proud of the work that they’ve done,” Han said. “If the work that the students have put in (is) going to be any indication of the performance, I’m looking forward to a fantastic performance, concert and recording.”