DOWAGIAC — Expect a melodic Valentine’s Day at Southwestern Michigan College, which welcomes six bands from five area high schools for the inaugural “Clinic Day.”

“It’s geared toward high school groups in our area preparing for Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association District VI festival the week of March 2,” SMC Director of Bands Mark Hollandsworth said.

Hollandsworth is collaborating with Quinlan and Fabish Music Co. to present Berrien Springs High School Concert Band, Berrien Springs High School Wind Symphony, Brandywine High School Band, Bridgman High School Band, Dowagiac Union High School Chieftain Concert Band and Eau Claire High School Band, plus his own SMC Symphonic Band.

Performances take place from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, in the theatre of the Dale A. Lyons Building on SMC’s Dowagiac campus.

“Each band will have a similar experience of an hour on stage, playing their festival program and, with the time remaining, working with guest clinician Alex Kaminsky, VanderCook College of Music Director of Bands,” Hollandsworth said. “We’re going to have 400 to 450 students on campus from different schools. Hopefully, these bands will be able to take his feedback and improve their performances. Our band Is playing at 11:30,” tuning up for its spring concert at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20.

VanderCook, in Chicago, is the only college in the country solely specializing in training music educators.

Eau Claire High School Band, directed by Marc Hartman, leads off at 8:30 a.m., followed by: 9:30 a.m., Bridgman High School Band, Cliff Reppart, director; 10:30 a.m., Brandywine High School Band, Ruth Livengood, director; 11:30 a.m., SMC; 1:15 p.m., DUHS Chieftain Concert Band, Shane Oakley, director, and Keith Klann, assistant director; 2:15 p.m., Berrien Springs High School Concert Band, Kelly Rosselit, director; and 3:15 p.m., Berrien Springs High School Wind Symphony, Kelly Rosselit, director, and Adam Emeigh, assistant director.

Performances are free and open to the public.