The collegiate newsletter of

Volume XXVIII Number 3 January/February 2012

11

11

Always a Sinfonianby Will Lambert, Iota Alpha (Alma)’05, Director of Programs

Going to college can provide amultitude of challenges, opportunities,and unique experiences. Much of mytime in high school was spent speculat-ing on what kinds of things I’d like todo and not do once I moved into mydorm room and waved goodbye to myparents. When that day finally came,

my plans basically went out the window. Lookingback, I realize that’s a critical aspect of college – tofind out more about yourself and what you reallywant out of life. And one of the things I neverthought I would do is join a fraternity.

Why in the world would I want to pay hun-dreds of dollars just to consider myself closer to acertain group of people? After all, Greek life is just

for people that don’t really careabout their futures or anyone elsebut themselves, right? And whywould I want to change who I amin order to be accepted? I’m not,and never was, someone who

wants to party all the time. Being finally freed ofthe constraints of living at home did make thatlifestyle a bit more appealing, but I knew that it wasmore worth it to me in the long run to spend moreof my time concentrating on school and what I real-ly care about. Besides, I could hang out with myown friends without any of the financial or socialobligations of a fraternity.

At one point, someone from Phi Mu Alphaapproached me and said “I think you’d be a greatPhi Mu Alpha brother.I’ve heard a lot of greatthings about you.” I said“Thanks, but no thanks”.I was a little familiar with Sinfonia at the time.They were the guys that went around the hallssinging Christmas carols and serenading women.They also seemed like they genuinely got along.The semester after that, I was approached by anoth-er student that asked if I would be willing to joinPhi Mu Alpha with him. At first, I told him no,but then he said “You should at least give it a try.They’ll let you start the process and drop wheneveryou don’t want to do it anymore, without any hardfeelings.” That was hard to argue with. So, I turnedin my bid and went to the pinning ceremony.

Throughout the entire process, the chapter guysmade it very clear that hazing was not permitted inthe chapter, or in the Fraternity as a whole. Still, Iwas expecting a goat, or fire extinguisher, or some-thing to show up at some point. But it never hap-pened. Nothing bad ever happened to me. Theentire education process was about how to be anactive member with certain ideals and philosophiesthat I already believed in. I still remained skepticaluntil the very moment the initiation ceremony wascomplete. At that very second, I knew what it wasthat seemed so foreign to me: I was genuinelyrespected. This was the first time in my life that

(see, “Lambert,” page 3)

4

What was your first callto the Fraternity? What

made you say yes?

How do you respond tothose who stereotypefraternities? Your

response could recruit apotential member.

AmericanMusic

Challenge

Greetings Brothers!I hope the holiday sea-son has treated you allwell and you find your-selves rejuvenated for anew semester. I knowup in Michigan, I havereturned to hibernationmode for these fewmonths, encased insnow. For the brotherswho can sympathize,good luck to you. For

those more southerly brothers, by the end ofFebruary, you can rest assured I’m jealous.

We’re very quickly approaching that time ofyear where you as a chapter will decide who willtake the reigns for the coming school year. Thiscan be a crucial time to evaluate the type of peo-ple the chapter has at its disposal. But moreimportantly, it can be a time to decide what YOUwant to do for the chapter next year.

Becoming a leader is a natural progression inthe lives of most Sinfonians, but the subtleties ofwhether or not it is the right time to take on aleadership role, or if a specific role is right foryou, are often complicated. Just as important asit is to step up and take control when the time isright, it can be equally important to step backand let someone else lead when your time iswrong. We’ve all been there – seeing an entireroom full of guys trying to lead, and nothing evergets done. There are three basic facets I look atwhen considering a leadership role. They areneed, qualification, and motivation.

Need is sometimes the most compelling rea-son to run for an office. Perhaps you have someinterest in being the music director for the chap-ter, but no one else is willing. Looks like you’regoing to be the music director next year. Anynumber of reasons can elicit a true need from thechapter to have an office filled. No one else hasthe time, no one else has the qualifications, noone else has interest. Whatever the reason maybe, these are the times when it is required thatsomeone “steps up” and takes an office uponthemselves. While this is how many leaders gettheir start (myself included), its also a precariousscenario depending on the next two facets.

Qualification can be the most obvious aspectto assess when becoming an officer. Whateveryour skill set is, use it where it will do the most

good. As you consider this, also consider not onlywhat you can do, but what you can easily grow todo. Sometimes a role might not be something weare explicitly ready for, but it is something we caneasily adapt to. Also consider the rest of your lifeat this point. Do you actually have the timerequired to fulfill the duties of the position? Ifyou can’t do the job justice, then don’t dishonorthe office and your brothers with less than yourfull attention.

Motivation is perhaps the most complexpiece to consider, because it is entirely subjectiveand internal. I cannot say what your motivationis any more than you can say what mine is. Butthe wrong motivation will more than likely createan awful experience for both you and the chapter.Consider this – are the responsibilities of this rolesomething you would volunteer for if there wasno title? There are always extreme cases of guyswho take office to put on a resume, and there arealways those who take office because they lovecontrol. A year and a half before I even ran fornational office in the Fraternity, a very dear friendwas giving me advice after I had lost a provinceelection. He told me, “Twitchy, titles are mean-ingless. They are nothing. The question is –What are you willing to do for the Fraternity?Then, go and do it. If along the way, brothersdecide to give you a title to go along with thework you’re doing, then great. Otherwise, youknow what you’re doing, you know why you’redoing it, and nothing else matters.”

These are also very important aspects ofleadership to consider as we approach the 2012National Convention. On a national level, all ofthese traits become more than considerations,they become necessities. The work becomesbroader, responsibilities higher, and stakes moreimportant. And after all of this introspection,come the actual votes that help decide our futureas an organization. I hope you all have takensomething to heart in here, and I wish you thebest of luck this semester. See you at convention!

Fraternally Yours,In Phi, Mu, and Alpha,

Benjamin “Twitchy” Strack, Delta Iota (Western Michigan) ’05

Page 2

From the NationalCollegiate Representative

Operational UpdatesChapters: 234Colonies: 17Pi Kappa (Langston University)Florida Theta (Rollins College)Zeta Pi (Loyola University)Eta Iota (University of Louisiana-Monroe)Epsilon Pi (Hartwick College)Iota Tau (Old Dominion University)Rho Omega (Virginia Commonwealth University)Mu Alpha (Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University)Virginia Epsilon (Virginia State University)Beta Psi (University of California-Los Angeles)Iota Phi (University of New Mexico)Eta Phi (University of Southern Mississippi)Pi Nu (Jackson State University)Delaware Beta (Delaware State University)Indiana Gamma (Indiana University-Purdue UniversityFort Wayne)South Carolina Gamma (Voorhees College)Florida Iota (Edward Waters College)

Alumni Associations: 19Collegiate members in Good Standing 5,158Collegiate members on Suspension 682Collegiate members (total) 5,840Percentage of total collegiate suspensions 11.68%Total amount of outstandingper capita tax owed to Sinfonia $69,074.00

Publication InformationThe Red & Black is published as an informational

newsletter for the Fraternity’s chapters, colonies, facultyadvisors, governors, committeemen, and national officers.

The Red & Black is printed bimonthly, September toApril. Photographs and articles from your chapter arehighly encouraged for upcoming issues of The Red & Black.Please send the articles and photographs toeditor@sinfonia.org.Editor/Layout: Mark A. Wilson, Delta Eta

Lyrecrest Staff:Chief Operating Jeremy M. Evans, Delta Nu ’98Officer evans@sinfonia.org Ext. 108

Director of William C. Lambert, Iota Alpha ’05Programs lambert@sinfonia.org Ext. 102

Director of Mark A. Wilson, Delta Eta ’03Communications wilson@sinfonia.org Ext. 104

Retreat Coordinator Nathan S. Schulte, Iota Alpha ’07& Programs Associate schulte@sinfonia.org Ext. 103

Administrative Kimberly J. DailyCoordinator daily@sinfonia.org Ext. 100

Controller Tonya R. McGuiremcguire@sinfonia.org Ext. 105

Administrative Elizabeth A. RaderAssisstant erader@sinfonia.org Ext. 101

Shipping Clerk Jon W. Raderrader@sinfonia.org Ext. 106

American Music Challenge Continues Into 2012

Page 3

(from, “Lambert,” page 1)my teachers, friends, and mentors were taking me for who I wasinstead of telling me who I should be.

It still took me some time to come to grips with what had actuallyhappened. I think it was when I watched the next class go throughtheir initiation that I finally understood why the process didn’t makeanybody change who they were. We were already who we needed tobe. The whole point of the PM process is to find people who alreadyhave the characteristics of a Sinfonian, butjust don’t know how important those traitsare. My initiation wasn’t so much an educa-tion as it was a confirmation.

But if that’s the case, then what’s thepoint of the Fraternity? If we already havethe tools we need to make the world a betterplace, why go through all the work of run-ning a fraternity for all these people? Collegestudents could be spending their time study-ing their coursework and getting ready fortheir future careers, right? Why spend allthis time, money, and energy if we’re notgoing to be changing our members for thebetter? Perhaps a better question to ask is this: do our potential mem-bers know how important those traits really are? Those ideals theyalready have within themselves - are they fully aware of them and howthey can use them to better the lives of others?

The world is full of different philosophies, messages, ideas, andways of life. If you had to determine what defined a good person bylooking at pop culture, what type of person would you come up with?Would you believe that it’s important to help others? Is it easy for peo-ple to really understand how music can and does make the world a bet-ter place? I tend to think that answer is “no.” In fact, I’d argue thateven our educational institutions don’t do a good enough job at teach-ing students how to be good people and to strive to help their fellowman, with or without the power of music. There are a few people whogo through childhood into adulthood and are fortunate enough tograsp these concepts. They just don’t know that those philosophiesthey have deep in their hearts are incredibly important in the effort towin the world to harmony. The collegiate years of Phi Mu Alpha cer-tainly play a special role in the lives of Sinfonians. College is designedto take young people and transform them into fully capable and inde-pendent adults. This change can be radical and life altering, or it canbe minimal and hardly have an impact on the person.

It’s not certain who will change for the better. Life is full of influ-ences that can easily sway someone off the course of integrity. Butthat’s why it’s so important that Phi Mu Alpha exists. Many collegestudents have the potential to be good people, but few actually knowwhat it takes to become one or why they should be good at all. What’sto say that an eagle scout won’t get enticed by the antics of a group thatseeks only cheap thrills and self-centeredness? It’s so easy for a youngmind to be attracted to lifestyles that do nothing but degrade who they

are. We must teach our potential brothers how to mature into adultsalong the straight course of integrity. This not only saves the wellbeingof these individual college students, but also benefits the world. Whena Sinfonian completes his collegiate years, he has fully come to graspwhy it is important to hold these philosophies and ideals in such highregard. But after graduation, each brother must go out into the worldby himself and leave his chapter behind. No more can he feel the fireof Sinfonia from seeing his brothers all the time around campus. This

is not to say that the alumnus is ostracized fromthe Fraternity, but now he can’t rely on constantreinforcement from his brothers to keep the fire ofSinfonia burning deep in his heart. Much likewhen he came to college, he must learn to get bywithout the aid of those dear to him being therefor support. To be honest, that’s the best thingthat a true Sinfonian could hope for.

Life after college is not an easy thing toendure. There are many people you willencounter that have a very difficult time gettingalong with others. Many of these individualscan end up being your co-workers, family mem-bers, boss, or even your friends. It’s not easy to

maintain a spirit of fraternalism when everything around you can be sonegative, but that’s when our strength as Sinfonians is most valuable.There’s no point in trying to build fraternalism in an environment thathas no trouble with its sense of community.Sinfonians are needed most where people nolonger feel the need to treat one another withmutual respect. To win the world to harmo-ny, we must advance concord not only onthe college campus, but everywhere where itfeels like the light of fraternalism is dwindling. This is the responsibili-ty of all Sinfonians. We are capable of this task upon entering college,but we are officially charged with it when we get initiated, and the timewe really have to work at it is when we leave to mingle again with theouter world.

The thing that makes me proudest to be a Sinfonian is that we arebound together by our love for both music and fraternity, not only foreach other, but also for everyone we interact with. Sinfonians are thosewho treat people with respect and dignity. This also serves as an inspi-ration to others that harmony can truly make the world a better place.Being initiated into Phi Mu Alpha helps me remember how importantit is to maintain these ideals in the face of adversity. I will forever lookback on my days as a collegiate Sinfonian and remember why fraternal-ism is such a lofty ideal. I’m very proud to have been initiated into PhiMu Alpha, not only because it reassured me that certain ideals I hadwere good, but that those ideals would be challenged and I must notcompromise who I really am. And I will always be a Sinfonian!

Who in your life needsto feel the fraternal flamethe most? Are you partof the light that helps

them feel it?

How are you better off for your involvement? Howhave you made the lives of others better?

Stakeholders’ ReportFiscal Year 2011

Fraternal Greetings from Lyrecrest! The last five years h

ave brought unprecedented growth to the Fraternity. W

e’ve increased our

number of collegiate members by 14%, and have just r

ecently topped 6,000 active members. In the last five y

ears, our

total number of chapters has grown by 8%, and we now

have 234 chapters in 45 states across the country. The

growth in

number of chapters corresponds with increased activity

in the Fraternity’s robust Colony Program. Currently,

17 colonies

are working towards chapter status around the nation.

Since our last Stakeholders’ Report, the Fraternity has h

osted three of its new Fireside Conferences in Delaware

,

Indiana and Nevada. The Fireside Conference, with its

theme, “Our Business Is the Making of Men,” meets o

ur members

where they are by bringing the irreplaceable education

and unforgettable fellowship of a national event to the r

egional level.

Over 250 brothers have taken advantage of the Fireside

Conferences, and the fourth event will be held in Norm

an,

Oklahoma this spring. Brothers who have attended de

scribe the event as life-changing and not to be missed.

Additionally, nearly 400 brothers have participated in th

e Fraternity’s Leadership Institute program. Staged in

non-Convention years, Leadership Institute provides a f

our-day leadership experience for brothers from around

the country.

Since the addition of the Fraternity Education Pre-Con

ference and Men of Song Chorus Concert in 2010, Lea

dership

Institute has continued to provide invaluable leadership

experiences while still offering the very best in leadersh

ip education.

The Fraternity’s Life Loyal program has continued to gr

ow, with more than 50 brothers expressing their fratern

al

loyalty this past year. A portion of each Life Loyal enro

llment fee is placed in an endowment to fund alumni

programming. In the last year, just over $3,000 was co

ntributed to the endowment, bringing its overall value

to $156,000.

Our hope is that a greater percentage of brothers will d

emonstrate their loyalty to the Fraternity through mem

bership in

Life Loyal in the coming years.

One place for improvement in our operations deals wit

h outstanding per capita tax. At current, over $75,000

is

owed to the Fraternity in back dues by over 600 suspen

ded collegiate members. Brothers, it’s critical that we w

ork with

probationary members to help them understand the fin

ancial obligations of Fraternity, and it’s even more impo

rtant that

we hold our brothers to the standards they agreed to w

hen they assumed their Obligation to the Fraternity.

At the national headquarters, we’ve been pleased to ove

rsee significant improvements to the campus and its

buildings in the last few years. The Lyrecrest North bu

ilding, adjacent to our main offices, has been completel

y

renovated, and stands now re-born as our Sinfonia Mu

seum and Archives. The basement room at Lyrecrest ha

s been

updated to better suit larger-scale meetings, and photog

raphs of famous Sinfonians have been added to the wal

ls. The

upstairs offices have been renovated as an executive offi

ce and conference room. Lastly, an incredible amount

of time

and energy has been invested into the landscaping of bo

th properties. We’d love for you to stop by, and we’d be

happy to give you a tour!

From alumni involvement, to collegiate expansion, to t

he essential work we do at the national headquarters ev

ery

day, Sinfonia’s forward momentum is evident on all fron

ts. This summer’s triennial Convention, July 11-15, 20

12,

will serve as a pinnacle for that forward progress, and a

starting point for another triennium of great things to

come. It’s our sincere desire that all brothers will join u

s in Orlando and feel “The Power of Music.”

It’s truly a great time to be a Sinfonian, brothers! If yo

u have any questions at all, please feel free to contact

us at the National Headquarters.

Fraternally Yours,

In Phi Mu Alpha,

John A. MongioviK. Dean Shatley II

Jeremy M. Evans

National PresidentNational Secretary-Treasure

r Chief Operating Officer

INCOMEa. Dues, fees and assessments, net of initiation packet cost $934,010 91%

b. Events 26,666 3%c. Sales of unofficial merch., net of costs 22,171 2%d. Sales of official merch., net of costs 16,332 2%e. Royalties 13,293 1%f. Interest Income 5,545 <1%g. Miscellaneous 3,037 <1%

Total $1,021,054 100%

During FY 2011, revenues exceeded expenses by$203,075 (net income). It is important to note that theFraternity employs the accrual basis of accounting, theaccounting standard expected of all but the smallest organiza-tions. Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP)apply, and as a result, certain financial initiatives are notincluded in the revenues and expenses listed above. These ini-tiatives are as follows:

$40,400 of Convocations Tax paid by chapters andcolonies was collected and allocated to the 2012 NationalConvention. The governing documents require thatConvocations Tax be saved during the three years of each tri-ennium to support the operations of the next NationalConvention. However, because the recognition of these fundsis deferred until the fiscal year in which the convention willoccur (FY 2013), these funds do not appear as revenues orexpenses in the financials presented above.

$42,176 was deposited into the Fraternity’s operationalsavings fund (see next page for additional information).Because this deposit was made from per capita tax revenues, itis included in revenues above. However, because theFraternity still holds the funds, its initiative to build this

account is not a true expense and as such it does not appear inthe expenses shown above. This initiative partially offsets netincome.

Additionally, some funds spent do not show on theexpense statement shown above. These amounts are purely“cash flow statement” amounts which don’t affect the expensestatement. These amounts include gains on investments andincreases in inventory. Along with the $42,176 deposit to theoperational savings fund, these amounts account for morethan $115,000 of the Fraternity’s net profit for the year.

Each year, the Fraternity uses this financial commentaryto provide documentation of the Corporate LiabilityProtection (CLP) Fee. The CLP Fee is the adjustable liabilityinsurance fee included in per capita taxes. During FY 2011,the premium for the Fraternity’s liability insurance policy(covering the Fraternity, its volunteers, its chapters and itsmembers) was $75,771. To determine the per member insur-ance fee, a calculation based on suspension percentages is usedto attempt to estimate the number of units of per capita taxpaid. That calculation yielded an $18.00 assessment per colle-giate member per year ($9/semester), which is included in thedata shown above.

Financial Commentary

EXPENSESa. Personnel $282,028 34%b. Administration 256,198 31%c. Events 72,520 9%d. Officers’ Expenses 70,171 9%e. Communications 57,126 7%f. Financial 44,807 5%g. Programs 27,341 3%h. Committee Expenses 7,788 1%

Total $817,979 100%

.................................................

a

bc d e f g

a

b

c

d

efg

h

20

25

30

201120102009200820072006

Average Chapter Size

In 2003, the National Assemblyapproved a $10 per year ($5 per semes-ter) increase in per capita taxes for theexplicit purpose of establishing an “oper-ational savings” for the Fraternity. Theseaccumulated funds are to be used as arainy-day fund and to support the cashflow needs of the Fraternity as it contin-ues its growth trends. The goal of thefund is to accumulate and maintain a

balance equal to 50% of the Fraternity’sannual budget, a figure intended to easethe seasonality of the Fraternity’s rev-enues. In the eight years since the fundwas established, the Fraternity has accu-mulated $340,959, approximately 68%of an estimated goal of $500,000. Thedeposit for Fiscal Year 2011 was $42,176,representing $5 out of each per capita taxpayment made within the year.

Operational Savings Growth

Statistics and TrendsNumber of Collegiate Members Number of Chapters

52945438

5502

58875960

6049

215 216 217

224

231234

24.6

25.2

25.3

26.3

25.8

27.0

The Tangible Benefits of MembershipInformative, Award-Winning Publications• The Sinfonian (flagship magazine), published twice per

year. Small annual subscription ($5) for alumni, no charge for collegians.

• The Red & Black (collegiate newsletter) published bimonthly during the academic year. No charge.

• Sinfonia Resonance (alumni e-newsletter), distributed bimonthly year-round. No charge.

Internet and Social MediaThe Fraternity maintains an updated website with news andenhanced resources. Sinfonia’s Facebook fan page(www.sinfonia.org/facebook) is among the largest of any fraternalorganization, with over 17,000 fans. Sinfonia’s Twitter account(www.twitter.com/phimualpha) was recently launched in advance ofthe 2012 National Convention.

Chapter and Province Listserv ServicesVersatile email listserv services for all chapters and provinces, as wellas personal email aliases are provided free of charge.

National StaffThe Fraternity employees a full-time, trained, professional staff ofeight individuals working hard every day to provide service to theFraternity’s members, chapters, colonies, alumni associations, andvolunteers. All staff members participate in various forms of ongo-ing training.

National Organizational StructureNational, province, and chapter experiences are structured in a waythat promotes brotherly interaction, and encourages collaborationbetween brothers to further the Object of the Fraternity.

Liability InsuranceGeneral liability insurance protects chapters, members, officers andvolunteers in the event of a claim of legal liability. The rate paid bycollegiate Sinfonians for this insurance is a fraction of that paid inother fraternities.

Accessible National Officers Whether sent by the Fraternity to province workshops or broughtto an individual chapter at the chapter’s expense, the knowledge andexperience of these dedicated volunteers are of benefit to all mem-bers.

PG and CPR Convocation Annual convocations for province governors and collegiate provincerepresentatives offer training to the province leadership, enhancingthe quality of their service to the chapters and members.

Province Governor and CPR ReimbursementReimbursement of PG and CPR expenses encourages their regularcommunication and face-to-face visitation with the chapters in theirprovinces.

Province Workshop - Chapter ReimbursementTo ease the burden of rising travel costs, the Fraternity providesreimbursement for travel to province workshop to up to two vehi-cles per chapter per year.

Alcohol Abuse Educatione-CHUG, the personalized internet-based alcohol educationresource, is available for free use by Sinfonians in the Resources sec-tion of www.sinfonia.org. This resource helps brothers makeresponsible choices regarding alcohol.

Regional Fireside ConferencesNew this triennium, the Fraternity provides thought-provoking fra-ternity education and opportunities for musical engagement on theregional level.

National Convention and Leadership InstituteThese events provide an open door for all members to be involvedin enriching educational opportunities, irreplaceable brotherhoodinteraction and unique musical opportunities.

Lyrecrest Chapter Retreat ProgramFull-time Retreat Coordinator provides invaluable retreat experienceto chapters visiting Lyrecrest for weekend retreats. This staff mem-ber is also available to travel to chapters preferring to host theirretreat closer to home.

Sinfonia Educational Foundation (SEF)Over $10,000 in scholarships were awarded to collegiate Sinfonianslast year, and $11,000 is available this year! Through the generosityof alumni, the SEF is able to sponsor musical ensembles at nationalevents and provide travel assistance grants to national Fraternityevents. The SEF also helps to aid the transition into post-collegelife with a graduation gift, Life After School. Explained.

The Intangible Benefits of Membership• Access to leadership opportunities within the chapter,

province and national organization. • Opportunities for service to community, especially

through the Fraternity’s national philanthropy, the Ossian Everett Mills Music Mission.

• Opportunities for service to school. • Association with a network of like-minded people, paying

benefits through lifelong friendships. • Musical bond that crosses majors, equally involving those

who are majoring in music and those who are pursuing other fields.

• Involves a key element of fraternalism, which is beyond the scope of any other non-fraternal music organizations to which a student may belong.

• Intangible benefits are limited only by one’s imagination and dedication. As they say, “You get out of it what you put into it!”

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity Stakeholders’ Report: Fiscal Year 2011

On Sunday, October 23, 2011 the Mu AlphaColony sponsored an American music concert featur-ing three chamber ensembles: Elemental Winds, TheRosewood Quartet, and Lyrebrass. Each of the threeensembles included members of the Mu Alpha Colony.Lyrebrass was formed entirely with members of thecolony and its main purpose is to promote Americanmusic around the community in the name of Sinfonia.

On Tuesday, October 25, 2011, the Mu Alphacolony at Virginia Tech put on an American Music

Recital featuring both student and faculty Sinfonianperformers as well as the singing of traditionalSinfonian songs by the colony. The recital was per-formed in front of mostly music students and facultyof Virginia Tech and was met with widespreadapproval. Many are already looking forward to a PhiMu Alpha recital to be performed next semester.

CNNewsewsNews ampusFrom

Mu Alpha Colony Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University • Blacksburg, Virginia

On the morning of April 23, members of theDelaware Beta Colony met with the brothers of the XiMu Chapter (University of Delaware) for a Mills MusicMission.

Both groups met on campus at Delaware State,and had a chance to get organized and create cards topass out to the people we were going to sing to. Wethen sang to patients at Kent General Hospital. Westopped at various rooms, and left a card and a carna-tion for each patient we sang to. As we worked ourway down the hospital floors, it was very apparent thatthe music we sang brought joy to the patients, especial-ly ones who did not get very many visitors. As a spe-cial treat, both groups together sang A Serenade to aGirl to the coordinators that allowed us the opportuni-ty to spread joy through music and music awareness.

After the event, members of the Delaware BetaColony had a chance to reflect on the event. Many ofthe members of the colony said that they could reallysee how music can bring hope and a smile to peoplewho may not otherwise have such things. In preparingfor the Mills Music Mission, the colony had to learn

the Sinfonian songs that were sung. This gave us theopportunity to become closer as brothers, and showedus first-hand how the Object of the Fraternity comes tolife in our music.

Performing this Mills Music Mission helped usgain direction and momentum in the process ofbecoming a chapter.

Delaware Beta Colony Delaware State University • Dover, Delaware

Alpha Zeta Pennsylvania State University • University Park, Pennsylvania

Page 8

Some members of the chapter have beenvery active with our a cappella group, theDreamers. They were recently asked to sing at awedding. They have also organized an a cappel-la sampler on campus to make the studentsaware of the different groups and publicize our-selves. It was a massive hit. We would like tothank Ben Cooper, 2010, for taking on the taskof leading our a cappella for the next year. Weare grateful to Jamie Gunther, 2008, for hisdedication to the group, for many past semestersof leadership and guidance with the Dreamers.

Alpha Zeta has decided to contribute moneyto scholarships of students at State College HighSchool who are involved in music for seniorsattending a college or university. Some membersof the chapter have gone on a canning trip withthe sisters of Sigma Alpha Iota to raise funds forTHON, a 48-hour dance marathon to raisemoney for the Four Diamonds fund at HersheyMedical Center.

9Page

CNNewsewsNews ampusFrom

The men of the Virginia Epsilon Colony havebeen working hard to accomplish the goals we haveset for ourselves this semester. During the week ofOctober 31-November 6, we had Virginia EpsilonColony Week. This week was filled with activities toshow our love for music and to help gain recognitionfor the colony. On Ocober 31, we held a Meet andGreet where the public could meet the members ofthe colony. On November 1, we performed a recitalto showcase the music talents of the members of ourcolony. The following day, we organized a serviceproject for the music department at Virginia StateUniversity. We went around our building cleaningeverything. On November 4, we performed ourAmerican Music Recital. This event was the culmina-tion of the events of the week. The spirit of Sinfoniawas definitely with us, because this is one of the bestperformances we have seen come from the colony.We concluded the week with our brotherhood retreat,where we spent the weekend at our co-advisors house,

having open discussions, playing games, and engagingin many activities to learn about our fellow colonymembers and help strengthen our brotherhood.

One of the most meaningful events we have par-ticipated in this semester was the Mills MusicMission. We participated in the MMM with the MuDelta chapter at Longwood University and the RhoOmega Colony at Virginia CommonwealthUniversity. Some of the brothers have experienced aMills Music Mission before, but for others it was anew and inspirational experience. We have all heardand read that music can be used for the uplift ofmankind, but being able to experience it firsthand isamazing. Just seeing the look of joy and happiness onthe faces of people when they hear the music ofSinfonia was a feeling like none other. This gave us ataste of what Phi Mu Alpha is really about, andthrough this experience we gained even more of adesire to establish a chapter of Phi Mu Alpha atVirginia State University.

Virginia Epsilon Colony Virginia State University • Petersburg, Virginia

This fall, the Zeta Iota chapter began the yearstrong with what we called the “Paradigm,” a series ofmusical events in which the brothers of ZI as well asbrothers of surrounding chapters came to perform.We invited the students and faculty to come out andshowcase their own talents along with the brothers tocreate an atmosphere of Howard musical unity!

This semester, we held three of these showcases inour Paradigm series, two of which were in collabora-tion with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and SigmaGamma Rho Sorority, respectively.

We also jumped on the community service wagonthis semester with the Project Angel Tree Initiative, aprogram where participants donate toys to young chil-dren whose parents are currently incarcerated.Members from many campus organizations con-tributed to this cause, making it an astounding suc-cess. We collected over 300 toys to donate to theorganization for the holiday season.

Zeta Iota Chapter Howard University • Washington, D.C.

The Red & Black would not be the same without updates from all ofour chapters and colonies, but many chapters are never heard from. Ifyou’d like to see your chapter’s efforts featured in our publications, let us

know what you’re up to. Send all submissions to editor@sinfonia.org

Page 10

National Convention 2012“The Power of Music”

Experience opportunities to

grow as a man and musician.

See the legislative process

in action, paving the way

forward for Sinfonia.

More music than ever before, including four major ensembles!

A unique and unforgettable experience! Register today with as

little as $75 down to ensure your attendance in Orlando,

Florida July 11-15. Head to convention.sinfonia.org for the

latest news and information.

Meet national leaders, notable

Sinfonians, and brothers from

around the country!

#sinfonia2012

Page 11

Upcoming Fireside Conference Events

Sinfonia Fireside Conference South:

March 30 - April 1, 2012

University of Oklahoma

Norman, Oklahoma

Come join our national leaders in talks

that will educate, illuminate, and inspire.

Check www.sinfonia.org/fireside for the latest info!

American Music Challenge Continues Into 2012

Visit www.sinfonia.org/amc to download

the application form and for

contest details.

Phi Mu Alpha has renewed the American MusicChallenge to the Fraternity’s collegiate chapters.This contest, which awards cash prizes totaling

$1,800, seeks to encourage enthusiastic pursuit ofthe Fraternity’s commitment to advancing music inAmerica. We are pleased to announce that the threechapters of our Fraternity that perform the mostAmerican music in the 2011-2012 school year willonce again receive cash prizes in the amounts of

$800, $600, and $400.

The advancement of music in America remains notonly a part of our Object, but an active goal of the

Fraternity at every level of our organization. You andyour chapter are encouraged to take part in the con-test, not just to receive recognition for your efforts,but to be a part of a collective effort that directlyhelps the advancement outlined in the Object.

2012 NATIONAL CONVENTIONJULY 11-15, 2012

WWW.SINFONIA.ORG/CONVENTION#sinfonia2012