The Triangle, publication of Mu Phi Epsilon music fraternity, Volume 119, Issue 1 Spring 2025
Mu Phi Epsilon International Professional Fraternity for the Advancement of Music in the Community, Nation and World.
One Mu Phi’s journey from the concert hall to the courtroom.
Fraternity Mission Statement: Mu Phi Epsilon International Professional Music Fraternity is a coeducational fraternity whose aim is the advancement of music in the community, nation, and world through the promotion of musicianship, scholarship and music education with emphasis on service through music.
EDITOR Kat Braz editor@muphiepsilon.org
DESIGN & PRODUCTION Paul Wilson thetriangle@muphiepsilon.org
Send all material for publication to: Kat Braz, editor@muphiepsilon.org
The Triangle welcomes story suggestions from Mu Phi Epsilon members and friends. Publication selections will be made at the discretion of the editor. Photos must be provided as the original digital file at high resolution. Please include photographer credit information. All photographs are published courtesy of the contributor unless photographer credit is provided.
Deadlines for submissions: Spring — November 15 Summer — March 15 Fall — July 15
Change of address, renewals, notice of deceased members, requests for extra copies and subscription requests should be sent to:
Mu Phi Epsilon International Executive Office 6510 Telecom Drive, Suite 370 Indianapolis, IN 46278 toll free: 888-259-1471 fax: 888-855-8670 email: executiveoffice@muphiepsilon.org
The Triangle is published three times per year by Mu Phi Epsilon, International Professional Music Fraternity.
Member, Professional Fraternity Association.
Subscription price is $20.00 per year. Single copies are $8.00.
Postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the United States of America.
POSTMASTER: Send all changes of address to: Mu Phi Epsilon, 6510 Telecom Drive, Suite 370 Indianapolis, IN 46278
All rights reserved.
KURT-ALEXANDER ZELLER, INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT, MU CHI, ATLANTA ALUMNI PRESIDENT@MUPHIEPSILON.ORG
THE POWER OF
With Music, Friendship and Harmony, we can change the world
n November, I joined the celebration at Southern Methodist University in Dallas honoring soprano Barbara Hill Moore (Mu Chi), our 2023 Elizabeth Mathias Award winner, to mark her 50th year on SMU’s music faculty. It was a grand series of events, including a banquet and a gala concert featuring performances by her colleagues and current and former students. The concert was devised by our 2023 Citation of Merit winner, countertenor John Holiday, who gave a heartfelt performance of “A Man and a Woman” from 110 in the Shade by Harvey Schmidt, to whom Mu Phi Epsilon also had awarded its Citation of Merit — 20 years before Holiday, at the 2003 Centennial Convention in Cincinnati.
My favorite part of the weekend was the reception for friends and students at the Moores’ home. It was special because I remembered when they moved into the house and being one of their first house guests as a homesick college junior one Thanksgiving holiday, when it became my job to put my double major in theatre to good use by reading stories to their little daughter, Leah, and keep her out of the kitchen. The house I remembered as still empty was now filled with posters and testimonials of a lifetime of eminent performances and achievements, and it was a joy to catch up with Leah, now a distinguished attorney with two daughters of her own (to whom she introduced me as “the reason your mom loves the Narnia books so much!”)
All of this got me thinking about Mu Phi Epsilon. Not only because “Prof” was resplendent in royal purple velvet at her reception or because of the honors our fraternity has bestowed upon her and Holiday and Schmidt, or even so much because it had been in a voice lesson that she said to me, “I think you should join Mu Phi Epsilon — you know, they take men now.” Although we see where that has led!
Rather, it was because what the university really was celebrating was one member’s 50 years of living out the ideals of our fraternity — Music, Friendship and Harmony — and the effect that has had on the institution, its community, the art form and indeed the world, as video messages from as far away as South Africa attested. The incredible impact of one person completely devoted to the inspiring beauty of Music, the caring love of Friendship, and the healing power of Harmony was everywhere on display.
So, I want to remind each of us to be that person! We won’t all perform all over the world, start music programs in Africa or have students singing in major opera houses everywhere. But we all can be exemplars of excellence in Music, in Friendship and in Harmony to everyone we encounter on whatever path we find in our lives, and the multiplying effect of all those encounters upon all the people they in turn encounter is guaranteed to change some part of the world.
MARY ANN TAYLOR, EPSILON PI, DALLAS ALUMNI
DALLAS CONCERT SERIES
he year 1937 seems long ago, but it was memorable for many reasons. A host of disasters, including the Hindenburg airship fire and Amelia Earhart’s disappearance, grabbed headlines. Composer Philip Glass and conductor Neemi Järvi were born that year. Walt Disney Productions debuted Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. (Remember “Whistle While You Work”?)
Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana and Alban Berg’s Lulu premiered.
chapter sponsored the concert series, uninterrupted.
Recognition for this achievement has come not only from the international Fraternity but also from the community. In 1977, the chapter received a Dallas Times Herald award for service in the beautification category. Usually awarded for landscaping and interior design achievements, this one was given “not for what the eye beholds but for what the ear hears.” Internationally known anthropologist Margaret Mead was the keynote speaker at the event.
Leslie Spotz and Ivo Ivanov
Another remarkable beginning in 1937 was the Mu Phi Epsilon-sponsored concert series in Dallas. At the time, programs partnering musicians and art museums were popular. Elements in place for just such a pairing included Mary McLarry Bywaters (Mu Chi) and her husband, Jerry. She had joined Mu Phi Epsilon while at Southern Methodist University. He served as director of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. Bywaters and her fellow Mu Phi Josephine Maus (Mu Chi) assisted in the formation of a Museum Sinfonietta, a WPA Federal Music project, and the Mu Phi Epsilon Concert Series was born.
The first concerts were held in the sculpture court of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. The series continued at the museum until the end of 1982. In 1983, the new J. Erik Jonsson branch of the Dallas Public Library opened downtown, and its auditorium became the concert venue. John and Frances Stuart donated a concert Steinway in memory of their young daughter, Betty Lynne. For the next 40-plus years, Mu Phi Epsilon Dallas Alumni
Throughout the years, many Mu Phis managed the details of running the series. As always, the real work of inviting performers, juggling dates, coordinating publicity and welcoming guests happens behind the scenes. Cleo Furr (Mu Chi), Frances Stuart (Mu Chi), Edie Pfautsch (Phi Iota), Mary Williams (Gamma, Dallas Alumni), Claudia Jameson (Beta Kappa, Dallas Alumni), Susan Poelchau (Epsilon Pi, Dallas Alumni) — each dedicated years to the project. Many hours of individual service by members contributed to the continuing success of the programs.
The spring of 2020 brought unexpected, and unwelcome, changes. All libraries were closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Without the possibility of live performances, how
Kimla Beasley
could the series continue? Doing so would take an extraordinary level of expertise and dedication. Kimla Beasley (Alpha Omega, Dallas Alumni) had stepped into the role of chairperson in 2019. Undoubtedly, she was the only chapter member with the skills to produce an online version of the concerts. Besides the usual tasks of filling dates with performers, Beasley coordinated the pre-recorded musical presentations and hosted them with grace and clarity on Facebook.
The Dallas Library system reopened with limited hours in May 2021, but it wasn’t until February of 2024 that performances could resume on Sunday afternoons. Leslie Spotz (Delta Pi) and Ivo Ivanov were featured. Beasley’s increased work and family responsibilities required her attention, and series management returned to the chapter. Into the breach came Andrew Anderson, head music librarian at the downtown Dallas branch. He graciously offered to manage the series with continued Mu Phi support.
Anderson is eminently qualified to lead. His was a “musical family though none of them were musicians.” His father, for example, would sing through the day, noting how the scansion of his words would fit into a new melody: “Looking for the masking tape … looking for the masking tape.” Andrew was recruited as a tuba player because his middle school band needed more tubas. Within a few years, he had fallen in love with Dvorak’s
Ninth Symphony “From the New World” and was reading it and other works from full orchestral scores; making his own band transcriptions became a favorite pastime. His formal education beyond Dallas public schools includes a bachelor’s degree in composition from Baylor University, and both a master’s in composition and a PhD in theory from the University of North Texas. His creativity extends from atonal and ragtime-based compositions to artistic pursuits as diverse as linoleum block printing, painting and photography. Anderson thrives in the library environment, his carries notebook filled with staff lines in case a melody comes to mind.
The 2024 concert series began on September 30 with the duo of flutist Thomaz Tavares and pianist Alber Chien. After meeting as undergraduates at Indiana University, the two have pursued additional training and professional careers all over the world. Tavares, born in Brazil and based in Paris, is teaching at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Chien, on staff at the Bowdoin International Festival, is a visiting instructor of piano at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas. The sparkling technique and musicality of their playing secured a brilliant opening to this revitalized series.
Anderson’s goal for the series is simple: Maintain the high level of quality that has always characterized the performances. The season filled up immediately, a testament to the years of groundwork laid by decades of Mu Phi alums. Service to the community will continue as the library welcomes vocalists and pianists, violinists and trombone ensembles, teachers and professionals. Here’s to many more uninterrupted decades of inspiring performances.
Andrew Anderson
Pianist Alber Chien and flutist Thomaz Tavares
A MU PHI AVIATRIX
et us introduce Mae Belle Johnson Norton (Nu) (19021989) who, in 1919, found herself one of the first civilian passengers on an army biplane from World War I. The plane was flown by Lieutenant Edward Kiel of Camp Lewis, Wash., a training camp for would-be fighters and flyers which was being constructed. At the time, flyers were still taking off and landing in literal fields. (Camp Lewis would become the Joint Base Lewis-McChord air force base and is still in existence.)
Mae Norton, as she preferred to be called, was a reporter for the daily newspaper, the Portland Telegram, in addition to holding the office of west district secretary for Mu Phi Epsilon. In 1921, she wrote an article for The Triangle (Vol. XV, no. 3) regaling us all with the story of her trip. This is a reprint of that article:
By “Herself” (or “Our Portland Rose” – She Flew!)
No, I wasn’t scared.
As this is the first question always hurled at me when I
tell of my airplane flights, I’ll settle that first. With so many new and startling sensations to be registered, there’s no time for fright.
“Are you ready to sign this?” was the question asked me by an ominously pitched voice just before my first flight and I went through the cheery little ceremony of not only inscribing my name, but the name of the one to be notified in case the body was to be cared for. Nice, wasn’t it? Well, I was glad I’d put on my Mu Phi pin, for I wanted to be properly identified when the remains were picked up.
Let the curtain be drawn on my valiant efforts to make entrance to the two-by-almost nothing seat, high to the front. I shout it broadcast, it can’t be done gracefully in a skirt of the present year’s vintage. A flock of helpful officers only made things more embarrassing. By the way, on the return, I balked and walked down the tail of the machine.
“Are you all set?” shouted the Lieutenant while the machine roared wrathily. With a vigorous nod of affirmation and a tighter grip on each side of the little seat, in addition to the last lingering look at the strap around my waist, I left terra
Camp Lewis, now known as Joint Base Lewis-McChord, is located southwest of Tacoma, Washington.
firma. There is absolutely nothing so exhilarating in the world as this first smooth soaring after the last of the hops has been made on the ground.
Gazing excitedly over the sides, one sees the earth leaving with most disconcerting rapidity. True to tradition, I made a frantic grab for my hat. Every amateur does it. You can’t see how the helmet and goggles stay on in the rush. Below are placid cows, brilliant green gardens, winding roads and the lovely Willamette. The little sawmills and shipyards are but puffs of smoke.
wondered if I would get more spiritual as I ascended toward the seat of glory, but the upside-down feeling I had could scarcely be interpreted in this light. In the solitudes of the heavenly spaces, I had hoped to work out some inspiration about Mu Phi. But I forgot ’em all in the wild thrill of that high dive.
When we were back to normal again, I thought I’d wave a grateful hand to the pilot for bringing me through safe. Imagine my shock, when it seemed taken off at the wrist. I bowed graciously to the screaming wind and decided to keep my anatomy within the pale of the hood.
So much for my first trip. My second experience in high flying gave me the record at the time of making the longest flight of any woman in our immediate Northwest, i.e., from our fair city to Seattle.
Suddenly, I wondered what great industry we were passing over that there should be so much smoke and was thrilled to realize I was above the clouds! Great white masses of vapor seemed moving as fast as we were in the opposite direction. I was trying to identify a straight white road, which looked like a remnant of ribbon amidst the green and brown mottled silk of the earth, when suddenly the Lieutenant proceeded to give me some thrills. Without warning, the very vitals of me were wrenched from their proper moorings and we shot straight for earth. Then the world went helter-skelter, finally ending with the sky below and the earth hanging where I had been accustomed all my life to see the blue firmament.
We were about 2,000 feet up when this little thriller was pulled and clipping along about 60 miles an hour. I had
To cover it in a few words, we were en route almost five hours, in the air four hours, making one stop; we maintained an altitude of 5,000 feet; lost our companion plane at one time; roared through cloud after cloud; saw lots of forest fires — the last most vital to me — I was in plain but inelegant language, sicker n’ a dog.
The trip was like thousands of miles of scenic railroad, the air was so “bumpy” as the air boys call it. The good old “Jenny” jumped and skidded, turned this way and that; the riggings howled until I recalled what ex-flyers had told me of how the wind whistled such tunes as “Nearer My God to Thee,” or perhaps “The End of a Perfect Day.”
And then I lost my precious stub pencil on the bottom of my flying mansion. This is how Lieutenant Kiel, my pilot, told of it later:
“All of a sudden, I felt some nibbles and jerkings on my control stick,” he recited, “and I looked around to see if Miss Norton was trying her hand at guiding the ship or perhaps attempting to wreck us. But there she was wiggling her feet around in a scramble for her pencil, and in one reckless dive she rescued it and came up beaming. I, in the meantime, holding onto the stick for our dear lives.”
Yes, he had told me to stay away from that “stick” but with the possible loss of my pencil, I was a woman of but one idea — its recovery.
Well, now that the great exhilaration and pangs of mal de ether are past, I can only sum it up thus:
It’s the greatest experience of my lifetime and I advise everyone who gets a chance to fly — fly early and often.
Mae Belle Johnson Norton (Nu)
DANIELLE KUNTZ, FACULTY ADVISER FOR MU PHI CHAPTER, MU PHI, CLEVELAND AREA ALUMNI
DIGGING UP THE
ENGAGING COLLEGIATE MEMBERS OF MU PHI EPSILON IN ARCHIVAL RESEARCH PROJECTS
s an archival music historian, I spend a lot of time digging around in boxes, searching for pieces of information from which to tell the stories of the musical past.
Among the many fascinating archives that I’ve had the opportunity to dig through in my career, one of the richest for my work has been the archives related to the Mu Phi chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon at Baldwin Wallace University (BW), located in Berea (Cleveland), Ohio.
The archives here are filled with vibrant examples of how Mu Phi Epsilon and its members have contributed to our strong local music community and supported many of the institutions that today still help people to pursue musical careers in this area. Moreover, the spirit of music, friendship and harmony abounds throughout, as the documents trace the lasting bonds of friendship and musicianship that have existed among our members over the course of nearly 100 years.
Completing my Mu Phi-focused research project granted me a deep understanding of the organization’s history, its impact on the musical community, and an enhanced appreciation for the intersection of music, culture and community within Mu Phi’s legacy.
—GRACE SMITH (Mu Phi)
Although fascinating to me on both a professional and personal level, the most rewarding work that I’ve done with these archives has been an extension of my work as faculty adviser to the Mu Phi chapter. Over the past several years, I’ve combined my musicological and advisory work by mentoring collegiate members of the chapter in Mu Phi-related research projects. My students have been awarded
funded research opportunities to pursue these projects, which have expanded their academic experience and allowed them to participate in campus research initiatives. Importantly, they have presented this work publicly, helping to highlight the lasting impact of Mu Phis, past and present, to our campus community.
Highlighting the Mu Phi Heritage through Student Research Grace Smith (Mu Phi) (cello performance and arts management ’25) used her knowledge of arts organizations to develop a project on the history and impact of philanthropic giving to the BW Conservatory by Mu Phi alumni. She first came to me with her idea following a chapter service initiative to organize and digitize archival materials. I helped her to apply to a BW student research program called the Riemenschneider Bach Institute Scholars Program, which provides students funding to pursue faculty-mentored research in the conservatory’s archives.
Grace was awarded a spot in the program, and over the course of a year, she synthesized information from Mu Phi archival records, as well as the records of the BW Center for Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement. Her research powerfully demonstrated that Mu Phis, over the course of nearly a century, have made a significant multimillion dollar impact in the landscape of philanthropic giving within the conservatory.
Archival attendance record for the Mu Phi chapter from the 1928-1929 academic year.
Mu Phi Archive, Riemenschneider Bach Institute, Baldwin Wallace University.
The impact of Grace’s work was multilayered. She shared her research with multiple campus audiences that year, and collegiate members of our chapter were surprised to learn that many names well-known to them today, such as Selma Riemenschneider (Mu Phi 1938), Arline Kadel (Mu Phi 1934) and Evelyn Gott (Mu Phi 1955) — who are memorialized through named classroom spaces and scholarships — were once members of their own chapter. In sharing her research at a campus research showcase, Grace reinforced the importance of organizations like Mu Phi Epsilon as part of campus life to an audience of faculty, students and administrators.
For students just entering the world of research, the process can seem daunting, so faculty advisers of chapters should help students understand the opportunities and resources available to them. Most universities already have programs in place to support student research. Student research programs, like the one that Grace participated in, often provide structured opportunities for students to learn about the research process, to complete original
research under the mentorship of a faculty member, and to present the product of that research on campus.
These opportunities can benefit a student in many ways, such as through fulfilling academic degree requirements and allowing them to develop more advanced research skills that they can use in their careers or graduate programs. Not all students’ needs and not all programs are alike, so students should research which programs are available and which will be the best fit for them.
If a student is not able to take on additional credits, they might pursue a summer research program that provides a stipend but doesn’t carry academic load. Other students might prefer independent study or course-embedded research opportunities that will simultaneously fulfill their degree requirements without requiring extended stays on campus beyond the typical academic year.
Even beyond structured research, your chapter’s archival materials can provide a wealth of opportunities to create points of engagement among collegiate and alumni members. Service projects aimed at organizing and preserving chapter archiving
Mu Phi chapter in the 1930s. This picture includes several notable members and supporters of the Mu Phi chapter: Selma Riemenschneider (seated, first row, third from left); Albert Riemenschneider, standing, second row, far right; Winthrop Sterling Mu Phi Epsilon co-founder), seated center, first row; Arline Kadel, seated, first row, fifth from left; Louis C. Wright (BW President), standing, second row, far left; his wife is seated in front of him in the first row.
Top tips for students who want to engage with Mu Phi Epsilon through research:
1. Learn about campus research programs and resources: Many campuses offer sponsored research programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. These opportunities provide support for student research and may include academic credit, a stipend, research advisers or other benefits. See if your campus has a program that would be a good fit for you!
2. Find a faculty mentor: Faculty are expert researchers who can help you to develop your project, identify resources and find academic or financial support for your project. Faculty are well-versed at the “ins and outs” of research and they are highly motivated to engage students in research, as well. Talk to a faculty member today about your project ideas.
3. Explore your campus archive: Your chapter archives are a treasure trove of potential projects. Don’t know if your chapter has archive materials? Ask your chapter adviser, local alumni members or even the librarian or archivist at your university. You never know where Mu Phi Epsilon materials may be hiding in your university’s special collections and archive materials.
The Mu Phi chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon has served the Conservatory of Music at Baldwin Wallace University (BW) since 1926. Over the course of its nearly century-long history, many generations of Mu Phis have made significant contributions to the musical culture of the BW Conservatory and Northeast Ohio community.
materials can be a powerful way for students to learn about the legacy of their chapter’s members and its historical impact. Alumni members can be valuable resources in identifying people in archival materials and enriching our understanding of any given Mu Phi’s life and work.
What could your members learn from exploring the archives of your chapter? How could a Mu Phi-focused research project enrich your chapter? What resources are already available to support academically-driven students in your chapter to complete research work? The rewards of such work make these questions worth answering, as noted by Grace:
“Students should consider using their chapter archives for a research project because these archives hold a wealth of historical information, enabling a deeper exploration of the organization’s roots, values and contributions. Accessing such materials fosters a more comprehensive understanding of the chapter’s evolution, its impact and can provide unique insights valuable for academic study and personal development. It also allowed me to make interpersonal connections with others in the Mu Phi community.”
Few people had a greater impact in this regard than Selma Marting Riemenschneider (Mu Phi). A conservatory alumnus of the voice and piano programs, Riemenschneider was a leading force in the early history of the BW Conservatory and Mu Phi chapter. Together with her husband, conservatory founder Albert Riemenschneider, she advocated for the establishment of the Mu Phi chapter, which became integral to the conservatory’s culture of excellence.
In 1950, Riemenschneider gifted her late husband’s enormous collection of rare musical documents and archival materials to the conservatory, establishing the core of what would become the Riemenschneider Bach Institute (RBI) in 1969. Today, the RBI is the documentary nerve center of the BW Conservatory and houses the official Mu Phi archive. As Mu Phi-related materials are suffused throughout the BW history and heritage, however, documents tracing the work of Mu Phis, including Riemenschneider, can be found in many of our special collections, including the Riemenschneider, conservatory and Bach Festival archives. It was Riemenschneider’s vision that these materials, and the Mu Phi chapter, would serve to enrich the education of students in the BW conservatory.
The Legacy of Selma Riemenschneider
Selma Riemenschneider received an honorary doctorate from BW in 1971.
Riemenschneider
SEAN KILGORE, KAPPA
FROM THE CONCERT HALL TO THE COURTROOM
Merging dual passions of music and law into a harmonious career
eople don’t often put a musician and lawyer together as one individual. You might think that a musician would not make a good lawyer, or vice versa. But I believe my career (the law) and my passion (the music) complement one another. The skills I developed as a musician are an important part of how I navigate the legal field, and the same can be said of my legal skills in relation to my work as a musician.
One (but not the only or most important) reason I became a lawyer was so that I could afford to be a self-sufficient musician. While you can certainly be a successful musician anywhere, sacrifice — in terms of earnings — often comes with the job. This expense has long been felt in the world of those making their living in the arts. I was told by my teachers and the professional musicians I met along the way, that they would teach lessons or classes and gig or perform where they could. They acknowledged that often, earnings came from many different avenues. My plan, then, was to pay the bills by practicing law and performing as a musician to feed my creativity.
So, how did I get to where I am today?
I have always held music close to my heart. Some of my earliest memories are of singing songs with my mother every morning
in the car on the way to daycare. I was also fortunate to have general music instruction in elementary school. I began steadily learning to play the viola in middle school, taking private lessons, playing with an after-school string group, attending summer music institutes and eventually participating in what was then known as the New World Youth Orchestra — now Indianapolis Youth Orchestra. While a part of New World, a few of us began performing chamber music together around Indianapolis, coining the ensemble name “Deoc” (this will be important later in my career path). At this point, music was my passion. But I also felt a pull toward satisfying my intellectual interest in the law.
As I was preparing for college, I decided to double major in chemistry and viola performance at Butler University with a goal of pursuing patent law as a career and performing music when I could. The chemistry major might seem out of place, but my mom and stepdad both worked for the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, so while as I was gaining interest in music and law, I also took an early interest in the sciences. As support for my decision, a few of my parents’ co-workers were musicians turned chemists who continued their passion for music through ensemble performances. Each said their creativity
and work ethic from studying music was an asset in their field. I thought that if they could marry their passion for music and degrees in the sciences, I could do the same.
While at Butler, my music involvement continued to be extensive — I was teaching a studio of nearly 25 students, teaching sectionals at multiple schools, performing with local ensembles, playing as many other gigs as possible, all while taking as many chamber, orchestral, theory and history classes as I could. By my sophomore year, I realized that my interest in chemistry (and patent law) had faded and my interest in music was growing to
include music in terms of business and law.
I turned my majors on their heads and switched to arts administration, the perfect application of my love of music and my passion to inform, advise and manage. Following this switch, I planned on pursuing a career in music law, advising on issues in the music industry such as intellectual property law as it relates to music and musicians, and continuing performances of my own.
After a short time working with another professional fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi, I began at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. I pursued a JD and an Intellectual
Property Certificate, which required courses such as copyright law, art and museum law, and entertainment law. During my law school career, I stepped back from teaching lessons but continued performing with local ensembles and began working full-time as an owner and manager of the Deoc Ensemble. I took what I had learned from my arts administration background, and what I was currently learning in law school, to assist my partner in turning the ensemble into a successful business. At the same time, I was also working on my legal career, taking on a position with a local firm as a law clerk. Law school takes time and effort to succeed, and I used every bit of work ethic from being a musician to study long hours and understand the importance of little details. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, I graduated, passed the Indiana Bar Exam and began my journey as a lawyer.
I also have a master’s in cybersecurity risk management (yes, a third degree). I decided on this additional degree while studying for the bar exam. This program explored how technology, business and law interact, and my focus was on preparing myself to protect privacy and intellectual property. I thought it would round out my education and feed my continuing interest in law and intellectual property. During this program, I maintained my connection to music through the very few public gigs that were allowed during quarantine and worked remotely with the same
law firm. Prior to graduation, I accepted a full-time position as a judicial law clerk for the U.S. District Court in Indianapolis, where I still work today.
My current role as a judicial law clerk is advisory. I research questions asked of the court, evaluate these questions under the applicable laws and provide opinions to a federal judge. I rely on my discipline-based skills that I honed as a musician to succeed. It takes effort and stamina to dive into a legal question and produce a coherent, and concise, opinion. The importance of teamwork, which I learned from years of ensemble performances, is crucial in both roles as well. If you don’t fully understand a case or concept, someone in your practice group or similar field likely does and can assist.
Similarly, as owner and manager of the Deoc Ensemble — a business that now provides ensemble music for nearly 100 weddings and events across Indiana each year — I contract many local musicians and it takes a combined effort to succeed. Ultimately, and as others have recognized, studying what you love and then going to graduate school so you can make a living is a great strategy. While it might not be the right plan for everyone, I can confidently say it was for me.
Now, beyond the interplay of skill sets that lawyers and musicians share, how does all this tie into Mu Phi Epsilon?
Sean Kilgore (third from left) is owner and manager of the Deoc Ensemble, which provides music for nearly 100 weddings and events across Indiana each year.
Members of the Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation Board at the 2023 Convention held in Fort Worth, Texas: Katsuya Yuasa (Phi Mu), Isabel De La Cerda (Delta Omega, San Antonio Alumni), Matt Hoch (Lambda), Kira Dixon (Phi Mu, Palo Alto Alumni), Zach Carlson-Giving (Zeta Lambda) and Sean Kilgore (Kappa).
Taking a quick step back in time, my first introduction to Mu Phi was in one of the first few weeks at Butler. New students were often greeted in the halls of the music building by members of the professional music fraternities/sororities and were told of their recruitment meetings. I eventually went to a Mu Phi event, and I knew immediately that’s where I belonged. Every member of this chapter loved music, but encouraged each other to pursue their passions, even if those were beyond the realm of the music school. By my second semester, I became a member of Mu Phi’s Kappa chapter.
While I was in Kappa, Stephanie Berry (Beta Omega), then the East Central 2 District Director, encouraged Collegiates to apply to scholarships from the Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation, pursue leadership positions within the chapter and attend as many Conventions as we could. I applied to scholarships offered through the Indiana Alumni chapter, held positions as vice president and president of Kappa and attended the 2014 Convention in Sacramento.
Convention is a fantastic experience, and something that everyone should attend at least once. My first Convention was filled with meeting Mu Phi alumni who shared their experiences with music as it contributed to their careers. While many were professional musicians, others remained connected to music in some fashion but continued other career paths. This solidified my hope to continue my path of becoming an attorney but maintaining my connection and love for music. And I knew that Mu Phi would be a large reason why I would be able to continue down this road.
After college, I wanted to remain connected to Mu Phi in some capacity, so when the vacancy opened, I became a District Director for East Central 2. I stayed in this role for six years, taking on the role Stephanie left behind, and attempting to inspire the members of each chapter in the district the same way she
East Central District members at the 2017 Convention held in Denver 2013. (Below) 2013 Kappa initiates
inspired me. I attended both the 2017 Denver Convention, the virtual 2020 Convention, and most recently the 2023 Dallas Convention. Other Mu Phis I met over the next few years encouraged me to continue giving back by joining the Foundation Board of Directors. I served in two positions on the Foundation Board, first as treasurer (2021 to 2023) then as vice president (2023 to 2024). Serving on the Foundation Board was a wonderful way to give back to an organization and membership that has been a staple in how I maintain my connection to music while working in the legal field. Mu Phi is truly why I believe I will never lose my passion for music as I continue my journey as a lawyer.
Sean Kilgore (Kappa) holds a bachelor’s degree in arts administration from Butler University, where he also studied viola, a mater’s in cybersecurity and risk management from Indiana University as well as a JD and Intellectual Property Certificate from the IU McKinney School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in Indiana, working for the United States District Courts as a judicial law clerk. Along with his day-job, he owns, operates and plays with the Deoc Ensemble, which provides various string ensembles for weddings and events throughout Indiana. Kilgore is also a frequent pit violist/ violinist for the Civic Theatre’s musical productions in Carmel, Ind., and subs when available for local orchestras.
APPLAUSE & ENCORE
International President Kurt-Alexander Zeller (Mu Chi, Atlanta Alumni) met up with Kimberly Martin-Boyd (at left), president of Delta Omicron, and Jessica Chichester (at right), president of Sigma Alpha Iota, during the annual conference of the Professional Fraternity Association.
Colorado Springs Alumni recognized the milestone memberships of three of its members during the chapter’s Founder’s Day celebration. Kathleen Anderson (Mu Tau) and Janet Davidson (Gamma Lambda) joined the Golden Triangle, recognizing 50 years of membership. Peggy Shivers (Alpha Lambda) was honored with a Diamond Triangle certificate, recognizing 60 years of membership.
Dominique Gibbs (Beta Zeta, Baton Rouge Alumni) announced the release of Multiplying at the Hip-Hop Table, an album written and produced by her students. Gibbs is an entertainment technology teacher at Park Forest Elementary Creative Sciences and Arts Magnet School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Ian Wiese (Lambda, Boston Alumni) won second place in the Homecoming: Return to Artsakh 2024 National Composition Competition. His piece, And Churn for string quartet, was one of six finalists selected from a national call for scores, and it was premiered in Glendale, California, by the Lyris Quartet. Wiese also had one of his works, For Dan for solo trumpet, selected for performance as part of the Research on Contemporary Composition Conference 2024 at University of North Georgia-Dahlonega.
You Ju Lee (Beta Tau, Atlanta Alumni) performed the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 14 in Eb Minor. K. 449 in with the Szolnok Symphony Orchestra in Hungary in October.
Janelle Catbagan (Gamma Sigma, Palos Verdes/South Bay Alumni) performed in A Christmas Carol at the Rose Center Theater in Westminster, California, in December.
Marilyn Hitchcock (Epsilon Phi, Wichita Alumni), right, presents a Diamond Triangle certificate to Sharon Ingram (Phi Pi, Wichita Alumni), recognizing Ingram’s 60 years of membership in the Fraternity.
Chika Inoue (Omega Omega, Los Angeles Alumni) performed saxophone and bandoneon in concert with Ville Hiltula at Nonaka Anna Hall Shibuya in Tokyo, Japan, in December.
Aaron Larget-Caplan (Beta, Boston Alumni) was inducted into the Cherry Creek High School Hall of Fame for Arts, Science and Humanities in October. Larget-Caplan is a 1996 graduate of the Denver metropolitan-area school.
Virginia Q. Backman (Alpha Kappa, Kansas City Alumni) performed as a featured soloist with the Medical Arts Symphony of Kansas City in October.
Lindsey Rae Johnson (Phi Tau, Portland Alumni) co-founded New Wave Opera in Portland, Oregon, which wrapped its inaugural season in 2024. Johnson is the organization’s board treasurer and resident soprano.
Nebraska Wesleyan University senior Shannon Engel (Beta Pi) worked as an opera apprentice at the Soo Theatre in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, during the summer of 2024. She performed in two operas there: Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah.
Paul Barnes (Mu Gamma, Lincoln Alumni), the Marguerite Scribante Professor of Piano in the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, performed a special program of composer Philip Glass’s works inside the sculpture created by Richard Serra titled “Greenpoint” on the UNL city campus in May 2024. The performance paid tribute to the creative relationship between Glass and Serra, who died on March 26, 2024, and kicked off the Lincoln Calling music and arts festival.
Kristín Jonína Taylor (Alpha Kappa, Lincoln Alumni) and Jim Reilly (Epsilon Alpha, Minneapolis/ St. Paul Alumni) performed a concert titled Icelandic Sounds at Mindekirken, the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, in Minneapolis in October. The concert was co-sponsored by the Leif Eriksson International Festival and the Minneapolis/St. Paul Alumni chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon.
The Kansas African American Museum honored Timothy Jones (Phi Pi, Wichita Alumni) with the 2024 Doris Kerr Larkins Rising Star Award. An artist educator and performer, Jones serves as associate concertmaster of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and is an assistant professor of violin at Wichita State university.
Abigail Sorber (Beta Alpha, Fullerton Alumni) made her international conducting debut in Zagreb, Croatia, with the Orange County Women’s Chorus in summer 2024. She conducted Elaine Hagenberg’s “Measure me, Sky.” Andrea Romero (Beta Alpha, Fullerton Alumni) and Tasha Miller (Beta Alpha, Fullerton Alumni) are also members of the ensemble.
Anám the Witch and Beatrice the Beautiful, a children’s opera based on a Mexican folktale written by Claudia Jameson (Beta Kappa, Dallas Alumni) and composed by Mary Alice Rich, a Dallas Alumni patron, completed performances in various elementary schools in Dallas in 2024. Anám will be produced by Texas Christian University’s opera program this spring.
Zeta Kappa chapter at Young Harris College in Young Harris, Georgia
Gamma Sigma chapter at California State University, Dominguez Hills
Alpha Omega chapter at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas
Phi Omega chapter at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania
FOUNDER’S DAY CELEBRATIONS
More than 70 members, patrons and friends attended a Founder’s Day and 60th Anniversary celebration for Palos Verdes/South Bay Alumni. Members of Gamma Sigma from California State University, Dominguez Hills were also in attendance.
Members of Beta Psi, Kappa and Indianapolis Alumni gathered to celebrate Founder’s Day in November at the University of Indianapolis.
Colorado Springs Alumni held a Founder’s Day celebration at the home of Jeannine Holt. The evening included a fundraiser potluck before the ceremony and subsequent chapter meeting.
These Mu Phi Epsilon chapters celebrate milestone anniversaries in 2025
120 YEARS
Minneapolis/St. Paul Alumni
June 23, 1995
110 YEARS
Phi, University of Mount Union, Alliance, OH
May 15, 1915
95 YEARS
Mu Eta, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
November 13, 1920
Boston Alumni
January 7, 1920
90 YEARS
Phi Kappa, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
November 17, 1935
80 YEARS
Phi Tau, University of North Texas, Denton, TX
March 22, 1945
75 YEARS
Epsilon Lambda, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI
April 23, 1950
70 YEARS
Palo Alto Alumni
September 26, 1955
65 YEARS
Alpha Mu, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
April 24, 1960
Alpha Nu, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX
April 30, 1960
60 YEARS
Alpha Omega, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX April 4, 1965
Beta Alpha, California State University, Fullerton, CA
April 10, 1965
25 YEARS
Delta Rho, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
February 27, 2000
San Antonio Alumni
May 18, 2000
Nominate a Philanthropic Organization to Receive Funding from MFE Foundation
APPLICATIONS DUE JUNE 1
The Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation is seeking nominations of philanthropies for its 2025 support. Any current dues-paying-member of Mu Phi Epsilon may nominate a philanthropic organization for funding. Not all nominations will be awarded. Nominations are due June 1, 2025. Please contact Donna Chrzanowski, philanthropies chair, at philanthropies@mpefoundation.org for any questions regarding the application.
Nominations must include:
• Organization name
• Organization mission statement
• Contact (email and phone) for executive director or president of board
• Link to or hard copy of annual financial report
• Names of active dues-paying members connected to Mu Phi Epsilon
• Name of active dues-paying nominator
To ensure the greatest impact, the organization must:
• Have an operating budget of less than $250,000
• Demonstrate how its mission aligns with that of the Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation
• Be involved primarily in music making whether that be schooling, lessons, camps or performances, etc.
• Provide services for or support historically underrepresented and minoritized communities of music makers
More information and an application may be found on the Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation website, mpefoundation.org/philanthropies.
Mary Ruth Woerner
FINAL NOTES
ANN GEILER, THIRD VICE PRESIDENT/ALUMNI ADVISOR, PHI THETA, ST. LOUIS ALUMNI ALUMNIADVISOR@MUPHIEPSILON.ORG
Mu Delta, March 14, 1948
Died June 1, 2023
Piano, Mary was an accomplished pianist and taught lessons in her home for more than 50 years. She went to Boston to study piano at the New England Conservatory of Music and then returned to Kansas to finish her degree at the Kansas City Conservatory of Music. Without a doubt, Mary touched many lives during her long teaching career. The following comment from a student sums it up: “I was fortunate enough to study piano with Mrs. Woerner for about 10 years, spending every week with her and then waiting while my little sister also took her lesson. Mrs. Woerner was a consummate musician, a kind and patient teacher, and taught me many lessons about life in general. I’ll never forget the thoughtful way she would raise an eyebrow, think, and then comment on whatever I’d just played, whether well-prepared or not. I will miss knowing that she is part of our world. She has made such a beautiful difference in so many lives.”
Virginia Lee Updegraff Denny
Delta Delta, October 26, 1996
Washington D.C. Alumni Chapter
Died January 26, 2024
Piano. Gina began her studies at the Eastman School of Music before transferring to the Hartt School of Music to study with Ward Davenny. In the 1950s, Gina had a rich and exciting life in New York City. She studied dance with Merce Cunningham and played a “taxi dancer” in Stanley Kubrick’s first film, Killer’s Kiss. Gina married and moved to Maryland where she began to build a thriving practice teaching piano and inspiring countless students over the
years. She was active member of numerous piano groups and a performing member of the Friday Morning Music Club in Washington D.C.
Carolyn Street Austin Gamma, February 3, 1946
Died May 20, 2024
Voice. Carolyn was a member of the Ann Arbor Alumni but in her later years was confined to her home due to health reasons. She served as president of the Ann Arbor Alumni chapter from 1957 to 1959. She was a member of Mu Phi for 78 years. A quote from her obituary said, “She sang like an angel and a lifetime of cherished memories ring in our hearts.”
Laila (Hammond) Adams Tau, December 11, 1954
Died May 29, 2024
Violin. Laila pursed her passion for music at the University of Washington, earning a Bachelor of Arts in music and a Washington State Teaching Certificate. She was named the outstanding senior in the Music Department. Laila played the violin with the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra in the 1950s through the 1960s. She was also a member of the Seattle Chamber Singers from 1981 to 1998. Laila began her teaching career in the Mercer Island Schools and then became a substitute teacher in the Seattle Public Schools. She then obtained a Master of Education from the University of Washington in early childhood special education and continued teaching in that field. Laila was a member of the Seattle Alumni chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon and served as president from 1975 to 1977.
Doris Laverne (Lapp) Sahli
Mu Phi, February 8, 2021
Alliance Alumni Chapter Died August 3, 2024
Piano. Doris was a graduate of Alliance High School and a member of Zion United Church of Christ in North Canton, Ohio. She was an accomplished pianist, frequently playing for recitals, accompanying choirs and musicians, and participating in the church orchestra. She was a member of the North Canton YMCA, PEO, TOPS and Mu Phi Epsilon. Before her passing she was an active member of the Alliance Alumni chapter.
Collette Salon Rosner
Phi Kappa, June 16, 1950
Died September 17, 2024
Pianist, Music Teacher. Collette attended Wayne State University. As a solo pianist, she performed with colleagues from the Birmingham Musicale. The highlight of her performing years was playing with her daughters Cindi and Kim as the Rosner Trio. Collette was the longest tenured employee in the history of Temple Beth El. She was hired by the temple’s music director, her professor at WSU, the late Jason Tickton. She was not only the pianist for the religious school, but also the music teacher of Temple Beth El nursery program. Collette was a private piano instructor for more 65 years, Collette was loved by hundreds of students — young and old. There was never an outing to dinner, concert, play or grocery store where Collette was not recognized and stopped by a former student and/or family member who would express their love and appreciation of their relationship with her. She was indeed a pillar of the metropolitan Detroit community.
