The Triangle, publication of Mu Ph Epsilon music fraternity, Volume 113, Issue 4, Winter 2020

the

Mu Phi Epsilon International Professional Fraternity for the Advancement of Music in the Community, Nation, and World.

Triangle VOLUME 113

I

ISSUE 4

I

WINTER 2020

Conference CONCIERGE INSIDE:

Your Guide to Grapevine 2020

PAGE 16

From the Same Songbook Alumni Sing with Seniors PAGE 10

Chapter Recharge

Giving the Needed Boost PAGE 12

Downtown Grapevine, Texas Coming to the convention? Here are some reasons why this is one you won’t want to miss!

16

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 Ellen Ritscher Sackett editor@muphiepsilon.org DESIGN & PRODUCTION Paul Wilson thetriangle@muphiepsilon.org Send all material for publication to: Ellen Ritscher Sackett, editor@muphiepsilon.org or by mail to 1309 E. Pecan St., Gainesville, TX 76240 All materials submitted for publication become the property of Mu Phi Epsilon. Requests for return are accepted and must be accompanied with a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Electronic transmissions are preferred. Photos must be the original digital file and as high resolution as possible. Images copied from social media are not acceptable. Please include photographer’s credit information.

contents WINTER 2020

I

VO LU M E 1 1 3 , I SS U E 4

FEATURES 10 12 16

Sharing Song, Spreading Joy by Donna Chrzanowski Operation Jump-Start! by Julia Scherer Welcome to the Lone Star State! by Rosemary Ames, Rebecca Sorley, Ellen Ritscher Sackett

Deadlines for submissions: Fall — August 15 Winter — December 1 Spring — February 15 Summer — May 1 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 1611 County Road, B West, Suite 320 St. Paul, MN 55113 toll free: 888-259-1471 fax: 888-855-8670 email: executiveoffice@muphiepsilon.org The Triangle is published 4 times per year

by Mu Phi Epsilon, International Professional Music Fraternity.

COLUMNS

Member, Professional Fraternity Association.

(ISSN 0041-2600) (Volume 113, Issue 4)

3 4 5 8

Subscription price is $20.00 per year.

Single copies are $8.00.

Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the United States of America.

President’s Message: Focus on 2020 — And Beyond!

Alumni Corner: Open Mind, Open Heart by Marcus Wyche Musings: Our Fraternity’s Golden Rule by Ian Wiese ACME Spotlight: Meet Scott Morris

DEPARTMENTS 6 26 28 31 34 35 2

Announcements Chapter Spotlight: Alpha Pi Applause/Encore Final Notes District Directors Directory Executive Officers Directory

MuPhiEpsilon.org

POSTMASTER: Send all changes of address to: Mu Phi Epsilon, 1611 County Road, B West, Suite 320, St. Paul, MN 55113. © 2020 Mu Phi Epsilon. All rights reserved.

PRESIDENT’S M E S S A G E

ROSEM ARY AM E S , I N TE R N ATI O N A L P R E S I D E N T P R ESI D ENT@ MU P H I E P S I LO N .O R G

Focusing on 2020 – and Beyond!

performances, workshops, and fun times together, so keep checking it regularly. Registration is open for the convention and hotel in January, and the early bird specials are available until April 15, 2020, so act quickly to reserve your spot at https:// muphiepsilon.site-ym.com/page/Convention As always, each chapter is to be represented by an official business delegate, but our convention is for all members and that means you. I urge you to put July 22 to July 26, 2020, on your calendars now. Come with your own 20/20 vision for Mu Phi Epsilon and be a part of the future of Mu Phi Epsilon.

See you in Grapevine (Dallas-Fort Worth)!

Illustration: mirsad sarajlic

ome years ago, my husband underwent Lasik surgery to change his vision from 20/400 to 20/20. After wearing glasses since a boy, he now has perfect vision without any glasses or contacts. He was amazed at how well he could see without any encumbrances for the first time.

I was thrilled for him, of course, but at the same time realized that now he could actually see things that might not have been obvious to him before; my housekeeping habits come to mind, but we won’t go there now. The point of this little trip down memory lane is to think of the upcoming 2020 Mu Phi Epsilon convention.

Thinking of 20/20 vision was what led us to our theme of the 20/20 vision for Mu Phi Epsilon.

In the last 116 years, Mu Phi Epsilon has grown and expanded into what we have today. At times it seems that we struggle to keep up and remain current, but we persist, always remembering the solid ideals from our founders, our rock and foundation for every decision we make. Often it seems like we play continual catch-up.

So, let’s try something different! With the year 2020 arriving, and our convention theme of 20/20 vision, it’s time for us to think ahead and envision what we want Mu Phi Epsilon to be in the future. We can combine our hopes and dreams into goals for our fraternity without sacrificing our traditions and foundations. What do you see for Mu Phi Epsilon in the next 25, 50 years? Extension goals? Retention goals?

Musical support goals? Membership support goals? Let’s use our convention to challenge ourselves to plan ahead and think about what you would like to see Mu Phi Epsilon become. And then let’s see if we can provide an action list of how to achieve these goals.

The time for our 57th National and 21st International Convention is fast approaching. On July 22, 2020, we gather in Grapevine, Texas, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton DFW North.

We will continue the tradition of bringing you top quality performers and presenters. Our dedicated convention web pages on the Mu Phi Epsilon website will continue to grow with information. There you will see continual updates of speakers,

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

3

A LUM N I C O R N E R

BY MARCUS WYCH E, T HIR D V IC E P R ES I D E N T/A LU MN I A DV I S O R D E LTA D E LTA , WAS H I N GTO N DC ALUMNI A LUM NI A DV I S O R @ M U P H I E P S I LO N .O R G

Open Mind, Open Heart y column last issue was titled “The Road to Convention,” which offered thoughts about the paths chapters could consider leading up to, and after, the convention.

But once you actually arrive at the convention, then what?

Collegiates may be wondering the most about this, since most alumni attending the convention will have been before and know what it entails. All the same, even though convention details are being finalized, here is the broad outline of what attendees can expect: The International Competition and a performance by the competition winner, including the first opportunity to book the winning concert artist Chapter business delegate sessions to discuss and vote on Fraternity resolutions and elect international officers Collegiate and alumni sessions where members can add their voice to the issues A luncheon hosted by the Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation Daytime and evening music performances by members Workshops on a variety of professional and educational topics Memorial ceremony for departed members Awards for chapters, members, and outstanding individuals (Unofficially: Lack of sleep.)

Even though many alumni are experienced in the convention activities outlined above, the content of these undertakings varies, offering opportunities for fresh perspectives and experiences. Part of the magic of a convention is the mix of the familiar and the new — arriving with a basic game plan and some context, but leaving more knowledgeable, prepared, and inspired than before, while making new friends and connections along the way.

What I ask of both collegiates and alumni, then, is that — while there is nothing new under the sun — to please keep an open mind and heart, as well as be present in the moment. While alumni have experience; younger minds bring different ideas and energy. The combination of the two, when unified, is powerful.

The Mu Phi Epsilon convention is a time to focus on common purposes, regardless of generation and perceived differences.

4

MuPhiEpsilon.org

Before traveling to Grapevine, I encourage alumni to connect with younger chapter members and nearby collegiate chapters to discuss preparation (delegate selection, travel logistics, etc.) so everyone is on the same page. Likewise, I encourage collegiates to seek out alumni or affiliate members for framing issues, and ask questions about what first-timers can expect. For both groups, I recommend sending several chapter members to keep your delegate company and so more Mu Phis can benefit from the convention experience.

And when we arrive in Texas — working together, listening, dialoguing, bonding, and celebrating Music, Friendship, and Harmony — we can bridge differences and help ensure the future and longevity of Mu Phi Epsilon!

Illustration: chege011

•

•

•

• • • • • •

MUSINGS

BY IAN WIES E , B E TA, B OSTO N A LU M N I I A N W I E S E .CO M

Our Fraternity’s Golden Rule joined Mu Phi Epsilon in 2015, during the fall semester of my senior year at Ithaca College. Up until then, my focus was my studies as a composition major, but I felt like I was missing something. It wasn’t until I had the good fortune to be inducted through the Lambda chapter that I figured out what it was: the support of other musicians with similar goals.

Once I was working on my master’s degree at New England Conservatory (NEC), my priorities began to change. I began to think about how I could help the Fraternity. I started engaging with the fabulous members of Boston Alumni chapter. I reactivated Beta chapter at NEC with the help of Yuh-Boh Feng and Aaron Larget-Caplan, its last president. I attended the 2017 International Convention in Denver and got involved with the fraternity at-large. I began to understand what it means to invest into something beyond myself.

In turn, the Fraternity invested in me. I applied for scholarships through the Foundation and won several over the course of two years. One of my compositions was performed at the Mu Phi Epsilon Convention in Denver. Recently, the Boston Alumni chapter commissioned me to write a new piece for its centennial anniversary celebration, which will take place in June 2020. For all of those opportunities and more, I am grateful.

Though the arduous fundraising work of the Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation, to the local committees of each chapter, to the highest-ups of the IEO, we have hundreds upon hundreds of musicians, brothers, sisters — friends — who all give generously to our Fraternity. And I have seen how each and every one of them get back what they put in, often several times over.

Without the Foundation’s scholarship support, for example (especially the composer scholarships), I would not have been able to progress through my studies at NEC to my doctorate.

That alone has furthered my commitment to serving what we do as a Fraternity, even more than I could have possibly imagined.

If I have a few words of advice for anyone reading, it would be these: Apply for those collegiate scholarships. Engage with your local alumni chapters. Run for officer position you’ve always wanted within your chapter. Coordinate and plan events with other chapters in your area, if you’re lucky to have more than one around you. Go to the Grapevine convention this summer, even if you’re not the business delegate or a music delegate.

Most importantly, connect with your sisters and brothers in

Mu Phi. You will make friends that will always support you long after you graduate and as you move through different stages of your career, especially if you support them, too. We are all one big Mu Phi family here.

So give. Give unto others. Others will give unto you, too.

Ian Wiese, Beta, won the large ensemble division of the Mu Phi Epsilon Composition Competition with his selection for large orchestra, “Gegenschein.” He is a doctoral student at New England Conservatory of Music (NEC), a student of John Heiss. His works have been performed in Oslo, Norway and throughout the U.S. in New York City, Boston, Charlotte, Denver, Houston, and at EPCOT at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. A number of ensembles, including Imani Winds, Box Not Found, Some Assembly Required, the New England Conservatory Contemporary Ensemble, and Duo Zonda, have performed his music. Guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan, Beta, Boston Alumni, also performed the work, “Seeketh Not Its Own,” as part of his New Lullaby Project at the 2017 Mu Phi Epsilon International Convention.

Ian participated in the 2018 Collage New Music Composers Colloquium at Longy School of Music at Bard College, during which he was tutored by John Harbison of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Paul Brust of the Longy School. He is currently collaborating with the New York Citybased percussionist Britton Matthews, the Jamaica Plain Saxophone Quartet, and the Boston-based light opera company Parlor Opera Players.

Ian was president of the Beta chapter. He received a master of music degree in composition from NEC and a bachelor of music degree in composition from Ithaca College.

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

5

MU PHI EPSILON ANNOUNCEMENTS

From the Foundation Upcoming Competition and Scholarship Deadines More information is available online at mpefoundation. org and in the Fall 2019 issue of The Triangle.

Competition Deadline:

You are invited!

You are invited to participate in the 2020 Conference as a topic presenter, composer, or performer in a solo or ensemble work by a Mu Phi Epsilon composer.

In addition, music delegate performers will be selected from any alumni chapter or collegiates from South Central and Central Province chapters. Watch your email for the application for these opportunities, which can also be found on the website under the Convention tab.

The completed official application form, $50 entry fee, online recordings, and supplemental materials must be submitted through the online portal on February 1, 2020 by 11:59 p.m.

Central Time. Apply at: bit.ly/2QDBBAR

Eligibility • Open to most instruments and voice.

• Entrant must be a current dues-paying member of Mu Phi Epsilon (collegiate, alumni, or affiliate member) as of December 31, 2019, and not under contract with professional management at the time of the competition.

• Age: Under the age of 32 as of April 1, 2020.

• Applicants must have appeared in solo recitals and/or with orchestra.

• Past winners of the Mu Phi Epsilon International Competition are not eligible.

Scholarships: Scholarship applications can be individually made online at: mpefoundation.org/grants-and-scholarships

• All applications (except Summer Scholarships) are due on March 1, 2020, by 11:59 p.m. Central Time.

• Summer scholarship applications are due on April 15, 2020, by 11:59 p.m. Central Time.

• All application fees are nonrefundable, even in the case of incomplete applications.

• Applicants must be dues-paying members as of December 31, 2019.

• Applicants may apply for more than one scholarship/grant.

• Previous winners are ineligible to apply for the same scholarship or grant, except for the Helen Haupt Alumni Chapter Project Grant or the Wiese-Abegg Collegiate Chapter Project Grant.

• A Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation scholarship or grant may not be used for everyday living expenses, to repay educational loans, or to repay personal debt.

6

MuPhiEpsilon.org

Nomination For International Officers Of Mu Phi Epsilon, 2020–23 Deadline: March 1, 2020

Mu Phi Epsilon elects new officers to the International Executive Board (IEB) at conventions. It’s an honor and a responsibility to serve the Fraternity as a member of the IEB. Nominations are accepted from chapters and members preceding the convention, so give careful consideration to your nomination. Instructions on the form will tell you where to send your nomination form.

• Nomination information is available on the website at muphiepsilon.org.

• if you have questions, please contact International President Rosemary Ames at president@muphiepsilon.org.

Nominations For Convention Awards Deadline: May 15, 2020

During conventions, four special awards are presented. The IEB reaches out to the membership for considerations for these awards, which are presented during the Convention Awards Banquet.

The awards are explained on the nomination form, along with instructions for submitting your suggestions. Three of the awards are for Mu Phi Epsilon members, and one is for a non-member.

• Send your suggestions to International President Rosemary Ames at president@muphiepsilon.org.

A CM E

NEW HONOREES

New ACME Honorees Mu Phi Epsilon is proud to announce its latest ACME honorees: and Dr. Scott M. Morris, Gamma Sigma, and Dr. Katsuya Yuasa, Phi Mu. We are pleased to include them among our most accomplished members whose achievements place them at the acme of our profession. Like all ACME honorees, they welcome mentoring requests and other contacts from Mu Phi members.

This year’s deadline for new ACME honoree nominations is March 1, 2020.

Dr. Scott M. Morris

Dr. Katsuya Yuasa

scottmorris.net

katsuyayuasa.com

Scott Morris gave his New York recital debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 1998. He has since appeared as a soloist and chamber musician throughout North America, Central America, Europe and Asia. American Record Guide said, “Morris plays with considerable elegance and charm.”

Dr. Katsuya Yuasa is a charistmatic and versatile clarinetist and educator. As the current Mu Phi Epsilon International Concert Artist, he had travelled the nation as an ambassador for Mu Phi Epsilon and appeared in multiple concerts and masterclasses. This has prepared him to jump in at a moment’s notice to perform in Piatigorsky Foundation Concert Tours of West Texas and New Mexico with pianist Mary Au (Mu Nu). Yuasa and Au have been invited to appear as Foundation artists for tours in Wyoming and Iowa during April 2020.

Learn more about Scott on page 8 of this issue.

Learn more about Katsuya in the Winter 2019 issue of The Triangle.

ACME is the acronym for Artists, Composers, Musicologists and Educators.

It is an honor bestowed upon Mu Phi Epsilon members who are distinguished in their fields of musical endeavor. Information about ACME members and their attainments are published to recognize their outstanding achievements and to provide mentors who are willing to advise other musicians of the same profession. ACME nominations may be submitted by an alumni or collegiate chapter, or by individual members, any time prior to March 1, each year. Mail the form or email it to the ACME chairman noted on the application. Entries submitted after March 1, 2020, will be honored the next year. Mu Phi Epsilon has many accomplished members who deserve the ACME recognition. Recommending members for consideration is a simple process. Talk to your nominee today, and send in the nomination form found under Resources on the Mu Phi Epsilon website. The Fraternity would like to expand its list of ACME honorees and can only do so with your help. Send in your nominations today.

For more information, contact:

ACME Chairman Arietha Lockhart, Beta Gamma, Atlanta Alumni • 404-291-5162, ACME@muphiepsilon.org

ACME Co-Chair Mary Au, Mu Nu, Los Angeles Alumni • 323-666-2603, auhaus@gmail.com

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

7

A CM E

SPOTLIGHT AC M E CO-C HA IR M A RY AU, M U N U, LOS A N G E L E S A LU M N I AU H AU S @ G MA I L .CO M

MEET ACME HONOREE

Scott Morris lassical guitarist Scott Morris gave his New York recital debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in 1998. He has since appeared as a soloist and chamber musician throughout North America, Central America, Europe, and Asia. He is respected for his work on the concert stage, in the classroom, as author and educator, and as a recording artist. For more information about Scott, visit his website at scottmorris.net.

What prompted you to learn the guitar?

When I was 6 years old my parents told me I needed to learn an instrument. I said “How about the drums?” and they said, “No way.” They said I was going to play piano, and I said, “No way.”

We compromised on the guitar, and it worked out.

What drew you into a career in music?

I wanted to be a rock star and moved from Indianapolis to Los Angeles as a teenager to follow that dream. I played in bands and attended GIT at the Musician’s Institute, but classical guitar just wouldn’t let go of me, and I ended up at the USC Thornton School of Music studying with William Kanengiser. I find that a lot of the marketing skills I learned promoting rock bands helps with my classical guitar career.

Tell us about your life as an educator.

I started at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) 15 years ago. Back then, the Department of Music only had two guitar students. Today, the program has grown to nearly 30 guitarists and employs five instructors.

Currently, I am the Supervisor of Guitar Studies and the Department of Music Chair at CSUDH. It’s a really exciting time for us at CSUDH and I’m honored to be a part of it.

I have made about 30 instructional classical guitar videos for GSI (Guitar Salon International). The videos address various topics, including many concepts I talk about in my series of method books called Classical Guitar Complete: From Basics to Bach. There are several volumes of the book as well as a guitar ensemble anthology. People really seem to find them useful and that’s what it is all about.

8

MuPhiEpsilon.org

What is the Summer Arts program?

Summer Arts is the summer creative retreat for all 23 campuses in the CSU system. I started at CSU Monterey Bay in Northern California, and I’ve been the coordinator since 2011. Students come to the program and sort of live, sleep and breath guitar almost 24/7 for weeks.

We have been in Granada, Spain, every summer since 2017.

The program has grown to 27 participants in 2019. They have daily masterclasses, evening concerts all over town, chamber music coaching, and total immersion in Andalusian culture.

The course lasts about three weeks.

Who are your musical influences?

My primary source of musical inspiration is guitarist Pepe Romero. I’ve been playing for Pepe in masterclasses since around 1991. I get to spend almost a month with him in Granada each summer, where he is so generous with his advice and time.

Have you recorded any pieces by your favorite composers?

Of course! I have entire recordings dedicated to the music of Paganini and Satie entitled The Guitar Music of Paganini (Centaur Records) and Phonology: the Music of Erik Satie for Guitar (AIX Records). My two recording for Eroica are named Invocation (Eroica Classical) and Danza (Eroica Classical).

This was a subtle nod to Joaquin Rodrigo’s piece for solo guitar Invocation y Danza, which is on the first record.

The Chika & Scott duo recorded Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata at Capitol Records last year and several works by Albeniz

at Studio City Sound earlier this year. Those were all of our own musical arrangements.

Tell us about the Chika & Scott saxophone and guitar duo.

Chika Inoue and I met in Los Angeles while teaching at CSUDH. Our first public performance together was playing contemporary music inspired by the rhythms of Brazil.

We had so much fun!

We’ll release our first record, Unfettered, in 2020, featuring music of Mozart and Schubert. We also have a record of Spanish music about half completed and already published some videos on YouTube. The videos feature our arrangements of Isaac Albeniz. We shot them on location in Spain last summer. They are extremely cinematic!

I love being part of something truly original. People can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube at @chikaandscott.

How do you choose the music?

Chika and I enjoy doing transcriptions. Our process is to first find music that we love, and then see if it works for guitar and sax. Arranging for the guitar is a very specialized craft, so I handle the initial arrangement, and she gives me feedback.

Each arrangement is a true collaboration.

What are the challenges playing with a saxophone?

The saxophone is a pretty loud instrument, so my guitar has to be amplified. Another challenge is avoiding the temptation to always have the saxophone play the melody while I play an accompaniment. We work hard for our arrangements to be legitimate duo works, which often requires a lot of experimentation and creativity.

Do you get performance anxiety?

Yes, and anyone who tells they don’t is either lying to you or to themself. What makes for good performers is not that they don’t get nervous, but that they actually sort of like feeling that way. Pepe Romero said [something] to me before I was about to perform at the Mozarteum years ago. He could see I was a bit nervous and said “Doesn’t it hurt so good?” It made perfect sense! I’ve studied sports psychology and how elite athletes learn to thrive under pressure. Nerves are completely normal; you just need to learn how to live with them and not be overwhelmed.

How do you find time to practice?

It’s all about scheduling your time. At the end of each day, I make a “to do” list for the next and try to figure out how much time each task is going to take. I also prioritize the list so if I don’t get to everything, I’ll at least cover the essentials.

I love the “15 minutes a day” approach — to pick up our instrument for a mere 15 minutes when you don’t think you

have time to practice. The funny thing is, you always seem to practice for more than 15 minutes. It’s a great little trick!

Where did you study?

I studied at Yale University, the USC Thornton School of Music, Aspen Music Festival, Musician’s Institute (GIT), Mozarteum Sommerakademie (Salzburg, Austria) and Claremont Graduate University from which I received a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree.

Should classical guitarists learn multiple genres and how to improvise?

I tell my students that the more versatile they are, the more opportunities they’re likely to get. That’s my practical advice.

My idealistic advice is that by studying non-classical genres and techniques, they will grow and develop as more interesting artists. There are tons of amazing guitarists out there; what makes you different?

Improvisation was a valued skill by classical musicians throughout most of Western music history. I love to improvise!

It [has] really taught me how to listen to others.

Should guitarists to learn to read music rather than guitar tabs?

Yes! Tab is a good way to get people interested in playing the guitar, but you need to learn to read music to get much further.

For classical guitarists, Tab only gives you a very limited repertoire, while reading music opens up the entire world of music. There are countless ways to finger pieces on the classical guitar, and Tab only gives you one option. Overreliance on Tab is what killed the lute in the 18th century. Learn your history so as not to repeat the same mistakes.

What advice do you have for young people interested in a music career?

I’m not going to lie — it’s a really hard way to make a living.

However, there are so many different ways. I hardly know anyone who does only one thing and makes a living. I tell them to be flexible and to diversify.

ACME Nominations ACME recognition highlights the strengths and accomplishments of our fraternity’s Artists, Composers, Musicologists and Educators. We encourage members to nominate deserving, actively affiliated candidates who have achieved national and/or international acclaim in their music fields for ACME consideration. Nomination information is at muphiepsilon.org (click About, Honors & Awards, ACME).

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

9

BY DO N N A CH RZ A N OWS K I , P R E S I D E N T, D E T RO I T A LU M N I

Song, Sharing

Joy.

Spreading How one chapter used Foundation funds to bring music to Detroit area seniors

wo Detroit Alumni members who sang every month at area nursing homes were the inspiration for the Detroit Alumni Chapter Service Project, which began two years ago. Pat Junker, Phi Kappa, continually rotated the songs from a book of piano pieces as her audience changed at one assisted living center, and Marion Alan, Phi Kappa, currently sings each month at her senior residence despite suffering a stroke.

When our chapter was initially looking for a chapter project, Marion spoke up and explained how easy it was to sing with the nursing home residents for an hour. Members of the chapter began to join her, and often a resident was moved to tears of joy by being able to sing. This joy made us realize that as a chapter, we could only sing at one place once a month — but there are over 250 assisted living centers in the Detroit metropolitan area.

During the last convention, the Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation Board gave a presentation that highlighted some of its grants, including the Alumni Chapter Service Award. We thought if the Detroit Alumni chapter was granted this award, we could expand our monthly sing-a-long to more places and provide materials so that many more senior centers could participate.

So in 2018, the chapter applied for and was subsequently awarded the Helen Haupt Chapter Service Award by the Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation. The grant provided the funds that we needed to purchase folders, CDs, and supplies with the purpose of creating a songbook that could be used over and over again by therapists or residents in senior centers throughout the Detroit metro area. Our 10 MuPhiEpsilon.org

Detroit Alumni Treasurer Joann Farmer, Phi Kappa, Great Lakes I District Director Susan Bissiri, Lambda, and Vice President Mary Ann Williams, Phi Kappa, assemble songbooks for Detroit area seniors’ sing-a-longs.

goal was to create 25 sets of folders for distribution; this way, the folders, which included two CDs, could stay with the residents and be used at any time they wanted to sing.

Chapter members considered which songs to include in the songbook, and after two days of discussion and locating piano accompaniments, the list of 30 familiar favorites and 10 holiday songs was compiled. Selections included patriotic, folk, and spiritual tunes that members felt would be well known to most Americans.

The most common lyrics were chosen, and a simple piano accompa-

Top: Detroit area seniors enjoy singing familiar tunes together.

Bottom: A stack of completed songbooks

Above: Kathleen von Schwartz, Beta Pi, and Marion Alan, Phi Kappa, participated in the Detroit Alumni Chapter Service Project.

Right: Members of Detroit Alumni recorded the songs for the songbook’s CD. Bob Farmer, Phi Kappa, was the accompanist.

niment was added to unison singing. It took two days for a group of six to eight people from the Detroit Alumni and Phi Kappa chapters and our patrons to record each song with piano accompaniment provided by Bob Farmer, Phi Kappa, for the CD. This was done so that the CD simply needs to be played and residents can sing along.

The next tasks included choosing durable folders, editing the lyrics, and making sure that the print was large and readable. The page numbers were also enlarged to make songs easy to find. Also included in each folder was a cover letter about the Detroit Alumni chapter and a business card with chapter contact information. The chapter then copied the pages and assembled the sets of folders.

Purple, white, or black folders that could contain 35 pages had to be ordered online as they were not easily available in stores, which

would have been more expensive and would have used up our awarded funds. Our treasurer Joann Farmer was able to apply coupons, which took several months but bought down that cost.

Now, we have beautiful plastic folders labeled with the Mu Phi Epsilon logo whose contents will bring joy of seniors throughout the Detroit area who love to sing!

Nearly every member of the chapter has participated in the project. We have had wonderful feedback about the folders from the seniors, and we are grateful to the Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation for granting us the funds to make this chapter project possible.

WINTER 2020

I

the

triangle

11

BY J U L IA SCH ERER, EXTE N S I O N O F F I C E R , KA N SAS C I T Y A LU M N I C H A P TE R

Jumpstart!

OPERATION

How alumni helped bring back an ailing collegiate chapter his is a story about how an alumni chapter rallied to support an ailing collegiate chapter, rebuilding it from a disheartened membership of one person up to its present membership of 16 in a little over a year.

Why would our story matter to you?

Well, because as extension officer, I know of far too many collegiate chapters that are struggling for survival. If one of those floundering chapters is near yours, I hope you will be inspired to ride to the rescue.

But back to our story: The Alpha Kappa chapter at the University of Missouri-Kansas City had been a thriving chapter for many years. Leadership was strong, and membership was consistently more than 20 students. Things seemed to be stable, but by the spring of 2018, almost all the members had graduated, leaving the chapter decimated.

The Kansas City Alumni chapter noted this turn of events with concern and realized that it would take strong support from our chapter to turn things around. We held a special meeting to come up with a plan.

Spearheaded by Collegiate Alumni Advisor Linda Chen, we decided to hold a rush event in November 2018. A cleverly 12 MuPhiEpsilon.org

designed poster invited prospective members to an information session featuring free pizza, soft drinks, and desserts. Several alumni members shared the life-changing benefits that Mu Phi Epsilon had afforded them in their student days (camaraderie, scholarship money, professional connections, performance opportunities) — benefits that continued in their professional lives. Each student received the flyer we created: “10 Reasons to Join Mu Phi Epsilon.”

The rush was successful, resulting in the initiation of four new Alpha Kappa members following our annual holiday meeting in early December for a total of five chapter members.

Under the enthusiastic leadership of Alpha Kappa President Regina Tanujaya and with continued strong support from the Kansas City Alumni, the collegiate chapter continued to thrive and grow.

All five Alpha Kappa members participated in our annual Nancy B. Zschietzschmann Scholarship Auditions in February, which not only carries cash prizes, but also includes a performance at our scholarship luncheon in April.

The next rush-related event was the brainchild of Regina, who put together the first-ever Alpha Kappa masterclass, presented

Above: New Alpha Kappa members were initiated into the chapter in October 2019. From left to right: Natalie Kahler, Derrick Hagens Jr., Crystal Jiang, and Matteo Generani. Below right: Alpha Kappa collegiates give monthly recitals at a local senior living community. From left to right: Regina Tanujaya, Kai-Han Yang, Sally Livengood (Patron and Kingswood Senior Living Coordinator), and Sarka Stehnova.

by herself, Yi Zheng, and Xiangyu Zhao. Each worked with a student of a Kansas City Alumni member. The audience included Kansas City Alumni chapter members as well as UMKC students.

The post-event rush featured the tried-and-true pizza party format, which was even more successful than the first one. We were delighted to initiate seven additional members in early May. By the time the 2019-20 academic year began, the Alpha Kappa chapter was gathering momentum and attracting attention.

In September, Dr. Thomas Rosenkranz, the keyboard area coordinator at UMKC, was initiated into Alpha Kappa. He was familiar with Mu Phi since he had been a student of Dr. Nelita True (Gamma) at Eastman but had never joined. As a new faculty member at UMKC, so impressed was he by his students’ enthusiasm for Mu Phi that he became a member himself — and also the chapter’s faculty advisor!

As student interest continued to mount, all it took was a brief information session to motivate four additional students to join the Alpha Kappa chapter in October. The chapter now proudly numbers 16.

Continuing Linda and Regina’s winning formula of combining recruitment events and initiations with other events, this

latest initiation took place just before a special concert featuring performers from both the Alpha Kappa and the Kansas City Alumni chapters. The Nancy B. Zschietzschmann Memorial Concert, co-sponsored by the Kansas City Alumni chapter, Fritz Zschietzschmann, and Country Club Christian Church, gave the collegiates a much-appreciated paid performance opportunity.

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

13

Members of the audience and collegiate and alumni chapters celebrate at a holiday recital and party, December 2019.

Our ongoing focus is to help the Alpha Kappa chapter thrive; our theme for this year’s monthly programs is “A Peek Into Our Musical Lives: Alumni & Collegiates Share Their Professional and Student Pursuits.”

We have included collaborative activities between the alumni and collegiate chapters at every possible opportunity. Shared activities include: • Providing refreshments for rush events • Inviting collegiates to all of our meetings and special events • Having collegiates present some of our monthly programs • Presenting programs and recitals including both alumni and collegiates • Providing post-concert receptions for collegiates’ recitals • Providing financial support through our Angel Fund (funded by member donations, garage sales, and sales of violet notecards) Several alumni members like to “adopt” collegiate members by taking them to concerts or out for lunch, for example.

In short, lots of year-round interaction between alumni and collegiate chapters is of crucial importance. Such activities create bonds of true affection and friendship, which energize all members and act as a magnet to draw others into the warm embrace of Mu Phi Epsilon.

Best of all, though, is for a chapter never to slide into ill health. Had there been ongoing support from faculty and from our alumni chapter, active recruitment at the undergraduate as 14 MuPhiEpsilon.org

well as graduate level, and planning for future student leadership, the Alpha Kappa chapter might never have found itself in such dire straights.

We resolve never to let it happen again — and we hope that our story serves as both a cautionary tale and an inspiration.

Pianist Julia Scherer’s multifaceted career as a professional musician spans over 30 years and has included private piano studio teaching, freelance accompanying, and presenting workshops on pedagogy and technique.

Julia is an enthusiastic writer and editor.

She has published numerous articles and reviews in Kansas Music Review and American Music Teacher, and has also written for The Triangle.

A past president of the Kansas City Alumni chapter, she now serves on the international executive board as extension officer.

Julia holds a master’s degree in piano performance from Texas Tech University, where she studied with Dr. William Westney. She is currently coaching with fellow Mu Phi colleague Nancy Reese. Nancy’s current project, My 30-Year Dance with the Devil: How to Play Mephisto Waltz, uses Julia as the Guinea pig in a journey into the process of learning to play with effortless technique.

2020 VISION

Reserve Ad Space in the Convention Program Book Attention chapters! Please consider purchasing an ad in the 2020 Convention program book.

It’s an ideal way to honor special chapter members, remember those who’ve passed on, or just celebrate being part of Mu Phi Epsilon. If an ad isn’t within your chapter’s regular budget, consider asking members or patrons to sponsor one. An ad in the convention program will spotlight your chapter and help support the convention financially. You may submit camera-ready artwork or send copy, and we will design for a small extra charge.

Contact editor@muphiepsilon.org or visit muphiepsilon.org/convention for more details and ad rates.

Space reservations must be made by April

30, 2020

Artwork or copy must be submitted by May

31, 2020

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

15

Lone St State!

TO THE

16 MuPhiEpsilon.org

tar

The 2020 Mu Phi Epsilon Convention is only a few months away and will be here before you know it. It’s set for July 22 to 26 in Grapevine, Texas, with a top-notch line-up of talent, including Mu Phi members and performers from all over the country.

The International Competition will take place at the University of North Texas in Denton, and Mu Phi members are invited to the finals to share in the excitement of finding out who the next Mu Phi Epsilon Concert artist will be!

So make your plans now to attend.

BY ROSE MA RY A ME S, RE BECCA SO RL E Y, A ND E L L E N RI TSC H E R SAC K E TT

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

17

ARTISTS

Opening Night Special Guests Members from the University of North Texas College of Music One O’Clock Lab Band will launch our 2020 convention in style on opening night, presented by the university’s Phi Tau chapter.

Under the direction of Alan Baylock, The One O’Clock Lab Band, from Denton, Texas, is the premier performing ensemble of the internationally acclaimed University of North Texas jazz studies program. With seven Grammy Award® nominations from its library of over 80 critically acclaimed recordings to date, the One O’Clock Lab Band is noted for exceptional individual musicianship and tight ensemble performance.

18 MuPhiEpsilon.org

Michael Clements

Guest

The One O’Clock Lab Band has toured internationally and frequently appears at major jazz festivals, music conferences, and concerts hosted by numerous fine arts series, colleges and high schools across the United States and around the world.

The jazz studies degree program at North Texas began in 1946. The UNT jazz faculty, chaired by Dr. John Murphy since 2008, is the foundation of the North Texas jazz studies division.

Eighteen full-time faculty members provide UNT jazz studies students with an educational environment unparalleled among university programs.

Award of Merit Recipient Featured guest Matthew Hoch, Lamda, is associate professor of voice at Auburn University. He has appeared as a soloist with the Oregon Bach Festival, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, the Vox Consort, Harmonie Universelle, the Hartford, Rome, and Nashua Symphony Orchestras, the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, Chattanooga Bach Choir, Griffin Choral Arts, and the

United States Coast Guard Chamber Players.

Matthew is the first author, coauthor, or principal editor of seven books and 28 peer-reviewed articles in over a dozen professional and academic journals.

Matthew is the 2016 winner of the Van L. Lawrence Award, presented jointly by the Voice Foundation and National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).

He holds a Bachelor of Music from Ithaca College, an Master of Music from the Hartt School, a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the New England Conservatory, and the Certificate in Vocology from the National Center for Voice and Speech. In 2018, he presented performances and masterclasses in the United Arab Emirates as was awarded the Auburn University College of Liberal Arts Teaching Excellence Award. Matthew has been active in Mu Phi Epsilon as an ACME honoree and has won numerous awards.

In addition to his academic life, Matthew also serves as choirmaster and minister of music at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Auburn, Alabama.

Convention Chorus Guest Conductor Francis Vu, Phi Tau, is director of choirs at Centennial High School in Frisco, Texas, where he directs the A Cappella Women, Titan Men, Bella Voce, and Lyric choirs, and Vibe, the premier vocal jazz ensemble.

Previously, Francis taught at McKinney High School in McKinney, Texas, and Rouse High School in Austin, Texas. His choirs have received consistent superior ratings in concert and sight-reading at UIL Contest, and his students have sung in the All-Region and All-State choirs.

Francis is the director of the Turtle Creek Chorale Chamber Chorus. This 30-voice men’s chorus, selected from the main men’s chorus, performs every fall and spring semester. In 2017, Francis

was awarded the TCDA Graduate Student Scholarship to begin studies at Michigan State University where he is pursing a Master of Music degree in in choral conducting.

In March 2018, Francis was awarded runner-up in the Southwestern ACDA Graduate Conducting Semifinals in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in choral music education with a voice concentration from Baylor University.

In July of 2018, Francis was selected as the Texas Choral Directors Association Young Director of Distinction. In 2017, he was awarded the Turtle Creek Chorale Upcoming Director Award. Francis’s professional services include serving as a choir clinician, and he has served as adjudicator for various area districts. Francis sings in the Turtle Creek Chorale and St. Mark’s Schola choirs. He recently collaborated with the Turtle Creek Chorale at the Southwest ACDA performance in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

A proud member of TMEA, TCDA, ACDA, NAfME, and Mu Phi Epsilon, Francis’s passion for teaching choral music stems from the belief that “music truly can change lives.”

Vocal Masterclass with Matthew Hoch There will be many performance opportunities for students at various times throughout the conference as well as in a vocal masterclass by Matthew Hoch. Performers who are interested in singing in this class should submit an audio file or YouTube link to Rebecca Sorley at musicadvisor@muphiepsilon.org by February 15, 2020, to be considered for the class. Participants will be notified by March 15, 2020.

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

19

• District Director Training: Wednesday, July 22, 8:30 a.m. to noon.

• International Competition Finals: Wednesday, July 22, 2 to 5 p.m.

• International Convention: July 22 – July 26

UR HOME-AWAY-FROM-HOME DURING THE CONVENTION will be at the Embassy Suites

by Hilton DFW North in Grapevine, Texas.

Grapevine is a North Texas suburb between Dallas and Fort Worth — the fourth largest metropolitan area in the U.S. There’s easy access to the hotel from the DFW International Airport, located just minutes away. The International Executive Board (IEB) held its annual meeting at the hotel last summer, and all of the members gave it a two-thumbs up! The board negotiated excellent room rates for Mu Phi Epsilon attendees; keep reading for more information about how to book your room and what you need to know to make the most of your trip.

The Mu Phi Epsilon website — muphiepsilon.org/convention — is the main source for the most up-to-date information about the conference, including the schedule of presenters, activities, and events. Bookmark it on your computer and check it regularly, as information will be updated and more details will be uploaded to the site as we get closer to the main event.

20 MuPhiEpsilon.org

• Early Bird Convention Registration Deadline: April 15, 2020 • Convention Registration Deadline: Postmarked by June 1, 2020. No refunds

will be given after June 30, and any forms received after June 30 will incur a $50 late fee.

One-Day Registration $150 per day This option is available for those individuals who only wish to participate in the Convention for select days (Thursday, Friday, and/or Saturday). This registration admits you to all meals and convention events held during the days purchased. Breakfast and the evening reception are complimentary each day to guests staying at the Embassy Suites DFW North.

Embassy Suites photos: VRX Studios

Put these important dates on your calendar now!

Full Package Registration The Early Bird registration fee of $300 is available until April 15, 2020.

After April 15, registration fee increases to $350.

The full-package registration fee admits you to three lunches, three dinners, and all convention events. Breakfast and the evening reception are complimentary each day to guests staying at the Embassy Suites DFW North (host hotel).

Individual Meals $75 each This option is available for those individuals (and/or their guests) who are only joining us for individual meals and no other events (lunches or dinners; Thursday, Friday and/or Saturday).

Hotel Registration at Embassy Suites

By Hilton DFW North The Embassy Suites DFW North hotel has provided us with a dedicated online hotel reservation webpage.

• Register online for the Embassy Suites DFW North at bit.ly/2u5gBLI — Or • Call the Embassy Suites directly at (972) 724-2600.

Ask for in-house reservations and reference the Mu Phi Epsilon 2020 Convention group block.

Embassy Suites photos: VRX Studios

Guests can access the dedicated hotel registration page at bit.ly/2u5gBLI to learn more about the event and to book, modify, or cancel a reservation. Through that page, you will receive our special hotel rate for the entire duration of your stay, valid from July 18-26 — three days before the convention through Wednesday following the end of the convention — so you can stay a little longer to explore the greater Dallas and Fort Worth area.

Our group rate is $159, plus applicable taxes, per room night for a single or double room. Per hotel policy, no more than four individuals are allowed to share a room. This rate is guaranteed until July 1 only; after that, reservations are made based on space availability, and you may have to pay a higher rate. You may still use the reservation page to book, modify, or cancel your plans.

For more information about the hotel and its amenities, visit the website at embassysuitesdfwnorth.com.

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

21

VRX Studios

Special Hotel Registration Instructions Make your hotel reservation with IEO at (888) 259-1471 if: • You are a collegiate business or collegiate music delegate. Your hotel room expense will be covered by the fraternity. You will be assigned a room that will be shared with other collegiate delegates.

Additional Hotel Information The Embassy Suites by Hilton DFW North is located just two miles from DFW International Airport. It is easily accessed by car via Highways 635, 114, and 121.

Complimentary transportation to and from DFW International Airport is available to guests 24/7. Note: There are two Embassy Suites by Hilton hotels in close proximity — at both the south and north ends of the airport. If you take the shuttle to the hotel from the terminal, be sure that it is going to Embassy Suites DFW NORTH. All of the rooms in the Embassy Suites by Hilton DFW North hotel are two-room suites furnished with one or two beds. Room amenities include mini-refrigerators, microwaves, wet bars, wired and wireless internet access, two televisions with on-demand movies, and video games.

22 MuPhiEpsilon.org

VRX Studios

Note: If you are not an official delegate, you will be responsible for your portion of the room rate. All other attendees will need to make their reservations directly with Embassy Suites DFW North (see more information on page 21).

A made-to-order breakfast is free for guests staying at the hotel.

The new Hallford’s Restaurant & Bar serves modern American cuisine and is open for lunch and dinner.

The hotel is equipped with a fitness center and a swimming pool. Guests also have full use of the hotel’s 24-hour BusinessLink™ Business Center that offers secretarial services, A/V equipment rental, and photocopying services.

For convenient shopping, guests may visit the Bass Pro Shops sporting goods store that is connected to the hotel or venture to Grapevine’s historic downtown district. Complimentary scheduled transportation is also provided to the nearby Grapevine Mills Shopping Mall.

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

23

Ellen Ritscher Sackett

Grapevine Visitors & Convention Bureau

Ellen Ritscher Sackett

Extend YOUR STAY!

There’s a bit of truth to the claims that Dallas is where the east ends, and Fort Worth is where the west begins.

Dallas’ image of opulence and wealth was epitomized in the 1980s prime-time soap opera by the same name. Fort Worth, on the other hand, is often referred to as “Cowtown,” the home of the Fort Worth Stockyards, and even today, its everyday dress code includes a Stetson and cowboy boots. While there’s plenty of cross culture and competition between the two cities, they also complement each other. Those who live in North Texas tend to agree – combined, the two cities possess the best of both worlds. There’s far more to do in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex than can be done in a few days, but here are some of the must-see spots for visitors to explore.

Dan The Sixth Ham Photography Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza VisitDallas.com

Pegasus: Dallas’ beloved neon flying horse landmark above the Magnolia Hotel serves a beacon to visitors, as it has for decades.

Sundance Management

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas chronicles the legacy of President John F. Kennedy and his assassination on Nov. 23, 1963.

There’s shopping, dining, and entertainment all within a few blocks at Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth.

24 MuPhiEpsilon.org

For award-winning Texas barbecue, head for Pecan Lodge in Dallas’ Deep Ellum.

Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau

VisitDallas.com

Both Dallas and Fort Worth are home to world-class art.

Seen here: A gallery from the Kimball Art Museum in the Cultural District, Fort Worth..

Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau

George W. Bush Presidential Center holds the archives of the George W. Bush presidency at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

For more ideas and information, go to:

For a taste of cowboy culture, take a trip to the Fort Worth Stockyards. You can see real-live longhorn steer if you time it right during one of the twice-daily cattle drives.

• VisitDallas.com • FortWorth.com • GrapevineTexasUSA.com

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

25

c hap t er SPOTLIGHT

FriendlyFaces, HELPFUL HANDS Giving a little love to Alpha Pi at Texas State University in San Marcos. hen Alpha Pi Vice President Madison Merritt, then historian and publicity chair, saw the callout for triangle photos on social media, she responded immediately. Madison didn’t send just a few photos, either, but many — enough to warrant a two-page spread in The Triangle.

Alpha Pi, part of the South Central District, has always stepped up and shown initiative. The chapter is 22 members strong and stands out for its willingness to participate in all aspects of the Fraternity, demonstrating its true commitment to its ideals.

Whether its members are participating in a school project, such as helping out during TSU School of Music auditions; volunteering for Bobcat Build, the university’s annual service day to thank the community for its support; raising money for the chapter through lunch and bake sales; connecting with alumni members; or participating in chapter Musicale programs, Alpha Pi puts in the energy and shows up when it counts.

To see more of what Alpha Pi is up to, check out their website: alphapitxstate.net.

Sophia Salazar (left), Danielle Ortiz (right)

26 MuPhiEpsilon.org

The fall 2019 Alpha Pi class.

Danielle Payne (left), Delaney Nash (right).

Madison Merritt (left), Cassidy Wallace (right).

Send your triangle photos to editor@muphiepsilon.org so you and your chapter can be featured in an upcoming issue of The Triangle.

The 2020 Officers of the Alpha Pi Chapter. Back row (left to right): Danielle Payne Service Chair, Faith Ely - Alumni/Corresponding Secretary, Trudy Berger - Social Chair, Abraham Villareal - Chorister, Josh Ryan - Steward Front row (left to right): Andrea Martinez - Recording Secretary, Sophia Salazar - President, Madison Merritt - Vice President, Mary Weinand - Webmaster, Emily Laque - Historian/PR, Giana Easson - Chaplain

Madison Merritt (far left), Rachel Reed (left middle), Sara Trogdon (right middle), Danielle Payne (far right).

Madison Merritt (left), Sara Trogdon (right).

Alexis Alvarado (left), Marissa Angel (right).

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

27

A PPL AUSE: MEMBER NEWS

Classical guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan, Beta, Boston Alumni, received a French award recognizing his contributions to music. He was awarded the Médaille d’Étain from the Socièté Académique Arts–Sciences–Lettres of Paris, France, on June 22, 2019, during a ceremony in Paris. The ASL medal, with 100 years of history, is awarded to those who have achieved excellence in the arts. Aaron was selected last fall by French painter Dominique Boutaud, a USA Representative of the Arts-Sciences-Lettres.

Pianist Dr. Madeleine Forte, Gamma Kappa, was presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who, premier publisher of biographical profiles. Dr. Forte has held the designation of professor emerita of piano at the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts in Boise State University since 1997. Prior to this appointment, she was professor of piano at the university from 1971 to 1997. She is an accomplished recording and touring artist, has penned several books, and is the artistic director for Roméo Records.

Savannah Gentry

Rebecca Larkin

Flutist Savannah Gentry, Nu, and flutist and composer Rebecca Larkin, Mu Pi, participated in the Siren Nation Music and Arts Festival on Nov. 17 in Portland, Oregon, with Persisting Sound: Women in Classical Music Showcase, featuring works by female composers. Savannah, who helped organize the event, is a founding member of Persisting Sound, a new-music duo that seeks to perform works by female-identifying and other underrepresented composers.

28 MuPhiEpsilon.org

Tyler Schreiber, Zeta Chi, released his second full-length album, Estadounidense, available for purchase on CD Baby. It is also available on Spotify, Apple Music and Google Play.

Let us clap for you!

Send your newsworthy member and chapter news to editor@muphiepsilon. org for consideration in Applause & Encore.

Please include a sharp, high-resolution photo and include any identifying information, including the place, date, event or award, and name(s).

In August, Travis Freshner, Nu, published his scale theory book for band students called Tonal Fluency. Travis is the band teacher at St. Helens Middle School in St. Helens, Oregon, and Portland Community College Rock Creek. He also owns the music production and publishing company, tfresh productions, and has written music for the Chicago Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, and “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.� The book is available for purchase at tfreshproductions.com.

Rachel Evangeline Barham

Maddy Ross

Jan Mittelstaedt

Cascadia Composers presented Shades of Autumn on Nov. 15, 2009 in at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, featuring a performance by soprano Maddy Ross, Phi Lambda. The concert also included music composed by Jan Mittelstaedt, Alpha Lambda.

Congratulations to Rachel Evangeline Barham, whose new album, Up Toward the Sky: American Songs for Soprano (Guild 7819), was funded by the 2017 Brena Hazzard Voice Scholarship from the Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation on behalf of the Los Angeles Alumni chapter.

It features previously unrecorded and under-recorded American art songs, and it highlights the poetic and musical voices of women. Visit her website at rachelbarham.com.

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

29

ENCORE: CHAPTER NEWS

Yoko Nakatani

Yukiko Sekino

A performance of “The Adventures of John Manjiro,� composed by Yoko Nakatani, Nu, with narration written by Patricia Callan, Phi Upsilon, took place at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Massachuetts, on October 6, 2019. Pianist Yukiko Sekino, Omega Omega, performed. Approxmimately 100 people were in attendance at the recurring celebration of the connection between Japan and the U.S. through the true story of John Manjiro, a young 19th century Japanese castaway who was rescued by a whaling ship out of New Bedford. The original commission was made possible in part thanks to the Helen Haupt Alumni Chapter Project Grant, which was awarded in 2005 to the Boston Alumni chapter, whose goal was to produce original, contemporary compositions.

Dorothy Brandwein

Virginia Kernes Congratulations to Kansas City Alumni members Dorothy Brandwein, and Virginia Kernes who are both celebrating 50 years as members of Mu Phi Epsilon.

Dorothy Brandwein was initiated into the Gamma chapter on February 23, 1969, and Virginia Kernes was initiated into the Alpha Kappa chapter on April 27, 1969.

30 MuPhiEpsilon.org

Four members of the Urbana Champaign Alumni chapter have received Amethyst Triangle certificates for being members for 70 years. Congratulations to each of them for their accomplishments and service to Mu Phi Epsilon. Margaret Khachaturian joined the Mu Phi chapter at Baldwin Wallace University on March 14, 1949. Elaine Hall joined the Xi chapter at the University of Kansas on January 8, 1947.

Beverly Williams joined the Mu Kappa chapter at the University of Oklahoma on October 29, 1947.

Betty Fredrickson joined the Mu Pi chapter at Ohio Wesleyan University on February 4, 1948.

FINAL NOTES AN N G IB B EN S DAVIS, P H I L A M B DA , WAS H I N TO N D.C . A LU M N I DAV I SM U S E C @ CO MC AST. N E T

Alis Dickinson Adkins Phi Tau, December 9, 1966 Denton Alumni Died December 6, 2019

Joyce Dillavou Bell Beta Omega, January 28, 1995 Muncie Alumni Died August 14, 2019

Organist, musicologist.

Alis completed a Masters Degree in music history and organ at University of Texas in Austin. She was awarded a two-year Fulbright scholarship to Denmark where she studied organ in Copenhagen. Alis performed organ concerts throughout Denmark and Sweden with a focus on North German organ music that became the center of her repertoire. Alis taught organ part-time at the University of North Texas (UNT) while pursuing a doctorate in musicology. Her completed dissertation was “Keyboard Tablatures of the Mid-Seventeenth Century in the Royal Library in Copenhagen.” Her dissertation won the musicological research contest from Mu Phi Epsilon in 1974. She was also the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in the arts from a Texas University.

Alis’ pride and joy was the performances she and her husband Dr. Cecil Adkins shared with their five musically gifted children and other family members who are all members of Mu Phi Epsilon. In 2013, the Adkin String Ensemble was awarded the University of Texas College of Music Alumni Award. In 2015, the AdkinsDickinson String Scholarship was established at UNT to support the orchestra and early music program.

Alis was a member of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Denton where she developed a traditional liturgical music program and served for more than 50 years as organist and choirmaster.

Vocalist, pianist. Joyce was a vocal instructor at Ball State University from 1993 to 2000 and was an executive producer of music review program, “Front Row Center,” for WIPB-TV in Muncie, Indiana. After moving to Atlanta, she sang with the Robert Shaw Chorus and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Joyce was a member of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), promoting high standards in vocal education. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in music from William Penn College (now University) in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and her Master of Arts in music from The George Washington University School of Music in Washington, D.C.

Betty Jane (Pankonin) Alexander Mu Rho, February 2, 1949 Denver Alumni Died October 9, 2019

Vocalist. Betty sang in choruses with the Central City Opera and the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

Carol M. (Hedeen) Card Gamma Lambda, November 23. 1976 Littleton, Colorado Alumni Died August 7, 2018

Violinist, violist, music educator. Carol was a music teacher for the Denver Public Schools.

She performed violin and viola with the Arapahoe Philharmonic Orchestra for 30 years. She played in a string quartet and the Memorial Bell Choir In Denver.

Norma Irene Danielson Epsilon Alpha, April 29, 1990 Minneapolis/St. Paul Alumni Died November 17, 2019

Vocalist, music educator.

Norma directed music in many Minnesota counties. She was one of the first teachers certified to work with students with learning disabilities.

She conducted church choirs in Minneapolis, sang in the Edina Chorale, and was a member of the Thursday Musical concert series.

Jean M. Curtis-DeMeulemeester Phi Kappa, June 13, 1994 Detroit Alumni Died July 23, 2019

Pianist, teacher. Jean taught and performed in Wayne and Macomb Counties in Michigan.

Nancy Bloomer Deussen Mu Nu, April 26, 1958 Died November 15, 2019

Composer, pianist. Nancy was an outstanding ACME honoree of Mu Phi Epsilon.

She co-founded the Bay Area Chapter of the National Association of Composers, USA. She was a champion of contemporary music and her works encompassed a wide variety of music for band, orchestra, chorus, brass ensembles, string and saxophone ensembles, solo voice and piano.

Her prominent compositions have been performed throughout the U.S., Europe, Canada, Australia, China, Indonesia, and Iran. She was also a music educator, arts organizer, nightclub pianist, piano tuner, and piano accompanist for many years.

Nancy studied composition at Juilliard and earned her degree in composition from Manhattan School of Music and a music education degree from University of Southern California.

Barbara Ann (Decker) Fedynich Epsilon, December 15, 1973 Toledo Alumni Died August 26, 2019

Music educator, vocalist.

Barbara was a devoted teacher to children at Most Blessed Sacrament School where she taught theory, recorder, and rhythm instruments. She also played the guitar and organized the school choir. Barbara served as the music and nature educator at Map Miakonda.

Barbara and received a bachelor’s degree in voice from the former Mary Manse College in Toledo, Ohio.

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

31

FINAL NOTES

Geraldine Bernell (Guren) Flynn Epsilon Xi, April 5, 1959 Long Beach Alumni Died November 18, 2019

Geraldine (Gerri) was a member of Mu Phi Epsilon for many years where she served as the editor of The Triangle from 1989-1996, and in 1999, she became the International Executive Secretary–Treasurer, a position she held through 2005. She was active in the Coast Guard Auxiliary Sector LA/LB for many years. She held an elected office as Flotilla Commander and appointed offices from division to district level, serving four years as Human Resources Officer and four years Publications Officer.

Shirley Jean Foster Nu, November 13, 1951 Died August 15, 2109

Music educator. Shirley retired after over 30 years in the Springfield School District in Springfield, Oregon, serving first as a music teacher and later as an English teacher.

Joanne Marie (Huot) Hall Tau, May 17, 1955 Columbus Alumni Died July 8. 2019

Pianist and educator. Joanne gave many piano performances in the New York City area before moving to Columbus, Ohio. Her performing and teaching career spanned 67 years, including She performed and taught piano for over 67 years, including 32 years at Capital University’s Conservatory of Music. She graduated from the University of Washington-Seattle with bachelor and master’s degrees in music.

Caroline Leah (Morriss) Hines Xi, February 2, 1945 Topeka Alumni Died August 9, 2019

Music educator and organist. Caroline taught music in Winchester, Kansas, and in Topeka public schools where she served as elementary music supervisor and consultant for 41 years. She ended her teaching career as a music specialist at Bishop and Gage Schools in Topeka, Kansas. For 10 years, she served as organist 32 MuPhiEpsilon.org

for Westminster Presbyterian Church in Topeka. Caroline graduated from the University of Kansas School of Fine Arts in 1947 with bachelor and master’s degrees in music education.

line’s composition “Variations and Fugue” won the Mu Phi Epsilon Original Composition contest and “Windows” premiered at the Urbana-Champaign 100th anniversary of the Tuesday Morning Musical Club.

Winifred Prince Hyson Alpha Eta, February 29, 1964 Washington, D.C. Alumni, ACME Died December 6, 2019

Kaaren Hamburg Makas Mu Upsilon, February 10, 1952 Died August 15, 2019

Composer, pianist, music educator. Winifred was a prize-winning composer with a postgraduate degrees in physics and music from Harvard University and American University, respectively. She was awarded the MTNA Lifetime Master Teacher Certificate in piano and enjoyed teaching songs of American musical heritage to her students. Her compositions have been performed throughout the eastern U.S. in festivals and competitions. Winifred was a winner of the Composers Guild Contest, and the National League of Pen Women.

She wrote many works for voice, including songs, vocal chamber and choral compositions, and a musical about America’s First Ladies: Ladies First: Songs, Rhymes and Times of the President’s Wives. She was a member of the Maryland State Music Teachers’ Association, Washington Teachers’ Association, MTNA, National Federation of Music Clubs, International Association of Women in Music, the Composer’s Guild and the National League of American Pen Women.

Madeline Dorothy (Pigage) Ignazito Phi Omega, January 17, 1961 Urbana-Champaign Alumni Died April 27, 2019

Music educator, composer.

Madeline taught music at every level for over 40 years, including in the music department at Lake Land. She was co-founder of Charleston-Mattoon Music Teachers Association and founded the Coles County Arts Council Honor Recital, through which over 100 music camp scholarships have been given to area students. She also served as State Theory Chair of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association for five years and was part of the committee writing the Achievement in Music state theory tests. In 1979, Made-

Cellist. Kaaren taught at Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge and Loyola University in New Orleans. She served as principal cellist for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra for 37 of the 45 years she performed with the ensemble. Kaaren Founded the Young People’s Concert Series in New Orleans and was on the founding committee of the New Orleans Centers for the Creative Arts. She performed with Santa Fe Opera Orchestra and was principal cellist for the Grand Tetons Music Festival Orchestra. She graduated as a Fulbright scholar and salutatorian from Eastman School of Music.

Martha Len (Henderson) Nelson Phi Tau, April 16, 1948 Denton Alumni Died November 16, 2019

Music educator, pianist.

Martha was a pianist, and her life encompassed helping to philanthropic foundations to provide numerous opportunities for culture and the arts of Denton, Texas. This included involvement with the Greater Denton Arts Council, Denton Arts & Jazz Festival, Denton Community Theatre, the Ariel Club, and childcare and education programs for children of low-income families.

Evelyn Yvonne (Underwood) Reynolds Mu Chi, May 1, 1976 Dallas Alumni Died September 18, 2019

Pianist, teacher, adjudicator. Evelyn was a piano teacher in the Dallas area for over 50 years. She was a faculty member at Mountain View Junior College and received many awards, including the Mountain View Junior Outstanding Contributions award and Texas Music Teachers Association Teacher of the year Award. She was an adjudicator for many piano competitions.

Evelyn served as president and other officers during her membership in the Dallas Music Teachers Association and the Texas Music Teachers Association. She was a member of the Music Teachers National Association since 1945.

Eileen Lyleth (Hovland) Rudd Phi Iota November 19, 1951 Lincoln Alumni Died December 8, 2019

Vocalist. Eileen was a graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnestota, where she was a member of the Concordia Choir. She sang in various choirs for 70 years in the Lincoln, Nebraska, area.

Eileen was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Lincoln and a member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood.

Nancy Jane Ruthrauff XI, April 22, 1948 Died July 13, 2019

Vocalist. Nancy attended the University of Kansas where she majored in vocal music. She sang and performed with classical chorales, operas, and church choirs in Colorado, Virginia and Oklahoma.

Esther McCammon Schinbeckler Kappa November 13, 1942 Died July 28, 2019

Pianist, organist. Esther taught for many years at the Jordan College of Music at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. She also taught at Washington High School in Indianapolis where she was an accompanist for two years and taught K-8 in the public school system for 12 years.

She taught piano all of her life and was organist for Plainfield Christian Church for 25 years.

Geraldine (Posen) Schwartz Gamma February 13, 1955 Detroit Alumni Died March 4, 2019

Pianist, composer.

Geraldine was a published composer whose works were performed in Michigan and elsewhere. She was a member of the Tuesday Morning Musicale, Birmingham Musicale, Music Study Club and the Women of Music Conference at the University of Michigan. She was also life member of the Sisterhood of Adat Shalom Synogogue and the Women of Jewish National Fund.

Wanda Rowena (Smith) Stenis Mu Theta November 10, 1942 Austin Alumni Died May 8, 2014

Music educator, poet.

Rowena was a published author of several books and taught music for several years in Lubbock and Austin, Texas. She played with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra for 37 years and for 20 years with the Austin Civic Orchestra.

Geraldine also performed in the orchestra at the Great Hills Baptist Church and directed the children’s choir.

Yaada Ruth Weber Alpha Epsilon March 1, 1959 Oakland Alumni Died October 2, 2019

Flutist, composer. Yaada was principal flutist in the Oakland Symphony Orchestra in Oakland, California, for 16 years and was was first flutist with the Oakland Municipal Band. While studying composition with Darius Milhaud, she wrote a prize-winning piece that was performed by the Paris National Orchestra. During this time, Yaada began her tenure as a flute faculty member and chamber music coach at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and taught there into her 80s. For 20 years, she was a member of Duo Linos with pianist Philip Maxwell, and they concertized throughout California. The duo won the Geneva Competition while performing in Switzerland.

Linda (Iacobucci) Wellbaum Mu Omicron, January 10, 1943 Cincinnati Alumni Died July 15, 2019

Harpist, pianist. Linda performed extensively with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic and many other ensembles in Ohio. She was a member of the American Harp Society and the Matinee Musicale in Cincinnati.

Marion (Terrill) Wright Mu Mu April 7, 1946 Scottsdale Alumni Died August 20, 2019

Music educator, vocalist.

Marion (“Terry”) was a great lover of choral music. She sang and performed with the McConnell Singers, including a tour to Eastern Europe, and sang with the choirs atValley Presbyterian Church for 60 years.

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

33

DISTR ICT DIRECTORY

ATLANTIC DISTRICT A1 Stephanie Berry 574.596.8285 bmpenguin69@hotmail.com

SOUTHEAST DISTRICT SE1 Marshall Pugh 252.599.2492 se1dd@muphiepsilon.org

WEST CENTRAL DISTRICT WC1 Chrisalyne Hagood 580.383.8011 chrisalyne.hagood@gmail.com

DISTRICT A2 Susan Todenhoft 703.323.4772 H 703.509.0224 C todenhoft@gmail.com

DISTRICT SE2 Arietha Lockhart 404.284.7811 ariethal@hotmail.com

Kathleen Jung 580.822.1170 kathleen.a.jung@gmail.com

EASTERN GREAT LAKES DISTRICT EGL1 — OPEN DISTRICT EGL2 Eric Westray 571.239.1809 ericwestray@aol.com DISTRICT EGL3 Nancy Jane Gray 330.688.7990 bobgrayz@aol.com GREAT LAKES DISTRICT GL1 Susan Owen-Bissiri 734.971.1084 slbissiri@sbcglobal.net DISTRICT GL2 Gabriel Knott 217.725.1909 dgabrielknott@gmail.com EAST CENTRAL DISTRICTS EC1 Herbert Jackson 678.577.3637 herbertjackson5@gmail.com DISTRICTS EC2 & EC3 Sean Kilgore 317.750.3206 smk193@gmail.com

DISTRICT SE3 Stephanie Sandritter 407.538.2371 stephanie.sandritter@gmail.com

SOUTH CENTRAL DISTRICT SC1 — OPEN

PACIFIC NORTHWEST DISTRICT PNW1 Sophia Tegart 509.991.4906 sophia.tegart@gmail.com

DISTRICT SC2 Ashley Bouras 972.765.3252 ashley.kimmel12@gmail.com

DISTRICT PNW2 & PNW3 Michael Lasfetto 971.275.3800 pnw3dd@muphiepsilon.org

DISTRICT SC3 Ashley Roever 580.822.5682 amroever@hotmail.com

PACIFIC DISTRICT P1 Billy Sanders 209.552.6996 billysjazz@yahoo.com

DISTRICT SE4 — OPEN

Anissa Martinez 806.217.4445 anissa.martinez@wheelerschools.net DISTRICT SC4 Isabel De La Cerda 210.204.6425 idelacerda@hotmail.com CENTRAL DISTRICT C1 Ann Geiler 314.691.7648 celloanng@centurytel.net DISTRICT C2 Paula Patterson 417.773.1176 paulapatterson@missouristate.edu NORTH CENTRAL DISTRICT NC1 Zack Carlson 218.201.1437 zachariah.davin@gmail.com DISTRICT NC2 Liana Sandin 402.483.4657, 402.560.7126 Liana.Sandin@gmail.com

34 MuPhiEpsilon.org

DISTRICT WC2 Kiley Wilson 405.625.5265 kiley.r.wilson@gmail.com

DISTRICT P2 Patrick Aguayo 408.991.4011 patrickanthony551@gmail.com PACIFIC SOUTHWEST DISTRICT PSW1 Tanner Wilson 951.515.9680 tannerwilson263@gmail.com

DI R ECTORY EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

2017-2020 INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD

INTERNATIONAL CHAIRMEN

2018-2019 FOUNDATION BOARD

Rosemary Ames, Omega International President 508.498.4669 president@muphiepsilon.org

ACME Arietha Lockhart (Chair) Beta Gamma, Atlanta Alumni 404.284.7811 ariethal@hotmail.com

Linda Florjancic, President Mu Phi 216.219.4953 president@mpefoundation.org

Julia Scherer, Alpha Kappa 1st VP/Extension Officer 816.225.2987 extensionofficer@muphiepsilon.org

Mary Au (Co-Chair), Mu Nu Los Angeles Alumni 323.666.2603 auhaus@gmail.com

Jenny Smith, Phi Xi 2nd VP/Collegiate Advisor 214.662.5087 collegiateadvisor@muphiepsilon.org Marcus Wyche, Delta Delta 3rd VP/Alumni Advisor 301.484.3652 alumniadvisor@muphiepsilon.org Rebecca Sorley, Kappa 4th VP/Music Advisor 317.885.1103 musicadvisor@muphiepsilon.org Terrel Kent, Beta Zeta 5th VP/Eligibility Advisor 225.772.7384 eligibilityadvisor@muphiepsilon.org Jess LaNore Executive Secretary-Treasurer 888.259.1471 executiveoffice@muphiepsilon.org Ellen Ritscher Sackett Phi Tau, Denton Alumni International Editor 940.395.1300 editor@muphiepsilon.org

BYLAWS & STANDING RULES Kurt-Alexander Zeller, Mu Chi Atlanta Alumni 770.961.4400 zellertenor@aol.com

FINANCE Evelyn Archer Omega Omega, St. Louis Area Alumni 314.481.2361 archerbe@sbcglobal.net

INTERNATIONAL Marlon Daniel, Mu Xi New York City Alumni 212.641.0305 marlondanielnyc@gmail.com

MUSIC LIBRARIAN & ARCHIVES Wendy Sistrunk, Mu Mu Kansas City Alumni 816.836.9961 SistrunkW@umkc.edu

Liana Sandin, Vice President Beta Pi 402.560.7126 vicepresident@mpefoundation.org Dr. Sophia Tegart, Secretary Mu Beta 509.991.4906 secretary@mpefoundation.org Craig Young, Treasurer Mu Upsilon 404.857.7045 treasurer@mpefoundation.org Zachariah Carlson Zeta Lambda 218.201.1437 admin@mpefoundation.org Dr. Kristín Jónína Taylor Alpha Kappa 641.590.0547 grants@mpefoundation.org Rosemary Ames Omega 508.498.4669 president@muphiepsilon.org Liana Sandin Artist Concert Manager 402.560.7126 vicepresident@mpefoundation.org

HONORARY ADVISORY BOARD Katherine Doepke, Phi Beta 612.377.2043 katdoepke@gmail.com Lee Clements Meyer, Phi Xi 512.345.5072

WINTER 2020

I the triangle

35

International Executive Office 1611 County Rd B, West, #320 St Paul, MN 55113 executiveoffice@muphiepsilon.org 888 259 1471

NOTICE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR NAME Update online at www.muphiepsilon.org

Calling

ALL Chapters!

The Mu Phi Epsilon Store is coming to the convention, and we need you!

Does your chapter make some great MO I E swag?

Does your chapter want to make some money?

Then display your items at the MO I E Convention store!

There will be dedicated shopping times during the convention.

Illustration: ussr

For more information, please contact Ann Geiler at stlalumnimpe@gmail.com.

36 MuPhiEpsilon.org