The Red & Black - 2002 (Feb. Edition)

A Brief Interview with Jamie Morris, Executive Director TR&B: How long have you been working at Lyrecrest?

Morris: I was hired as the Director of Collegiate Activities, and my first day of work was June 24, 1996.

That position was very similar to the Assistant Director of the Fraternity position now held by Ryan Ripperton.

In October 1997, I was promoted to Associate Director and on June 1, 1998, I was promoted to Executive Director of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and The Sinfonia Foundation. I have remained in that position, and I truly love my job!

TR&B: What is your favorite part of working for the Fraternity?

Morris: I would have to say that it is meeting with chapters and members and witnessing how Sinfonia is having a positive effect on all of our lives. It is really a tremendously fulfilling job! I also enjoy traveling to the different conventions that Sinfonia attends, and the weekend chapter retreats are lots of fun, too!

TR&B: What has changed at Lyrecrest since your first day at work?

Morris: TONS! Let me put it this way –

Lyrecrest used to have an odor – a not so pleasant odor. Since 1996 we have torn up all of the carpet, replaced the roof, all the windows, paved the driveway, and so much more. I am very proud of the work we have done on our headquarters. In fact, current and former staff members and numerous brothers coming to the annual Work Weekend have assisted with the many improvements made to Lyrecrest. We truly are blessed to have such an incredible home.

TR&B: What do you see as the most significant changes in Sinfonia since you first joined the Lyrecrest Staff?

have purchased three fire safes to store our most precious documents and publications, and we have begun the process of creating a museum. John Mongiovi has done such an excellent job to make more of the archives accessible to brothers visiting the headquarters.

Every organization changes through the years, but I think only the most special organizations can change and retain the mission of their founding. Sinfonia is getting closer to realizing the vision of Father Mills — maybe closer than we have been in over 80 years. We have a long way to go, but I am reassured that we are headed in the right direction every time I have an opportunity to speak with other Sinfonians — especially collegiate brothers. This is a most significant change.

TR&B: What are your goals for the future?

Morris: Be a good husband and father.

Morris: What a great question! It is hard to provide a brief answer. I would say the most significant change is our collective understanding of why this organization came into existence. When I joined the staff, all of our archives were literally stored in boxes and crammed in closets.

The only person that really knew what we had was T. Jervis Underwood, and he spent a tremendous amount of time organizing all of the files he used to write our centennial history. Since then, we

February 2002

In This Issue The College Fraternity News From Campus Mills Music Mission COS Wrap-Up

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Volume XVIII, Number 6 the collegiate newsletter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity

Famous Sinfonians Solution to last issue’s puzzle 1

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18 “Duke” 20 The “March King” 21 “Old Man River” 22 21-yr conductor of ASO & Chorus 23 Michael __ Thomas

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7 Blues guitarist – “Just Do It” 9 “___ & the Band Of Renown” 10 Grammy-winning flugel hornist 12 Early 20th c. U.S. Sect’y of Treasury 13 One of “The Three Tenors” 14 Opie’s Dad 15 “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” 16 Conductor of Boston Pops 19 Composer of 4’33”

Father of the Sinfonia “Harmony is ever to be the noble aim of our beloved society — harmony not only in music, but in the life within the fraternity, and in the broader and fuller life beyond its portals: it is the harmony whose music is felt in the hearty handclasp, heard in the cheerful greeting, seen in living notes in the generous act.” ~Ossian Everett Mills, 1902.

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Ossian Everett Mills FRATERNITY is an obligation, A necessity, an introduction, A recommendation, a passport, A lesson, an influence, An opportunity, an investment, A peacemaker and a pleasure.

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4 Former Conductor of Cinci. S.O. 6 Jazz educator

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Fraternity Matters The Nature of the College Fraternity The following excerpts are reprinted from Baird’s Manual of American College Fraternities, 18th Edition, 1968.

The American college fraternity is an American institution and the chapter in the form it ideally exists on the college campus is a miniature of the larger American democracy. Institutionally, the fraternity chapter is a dependency of the college. Spiritually it does not seem to be; the spirit it creates bears no definable relationship to the substance of the conventional curriculum. The good fraternity chapter follows the principles, traditions, and ideals on which America was established by her founding fathers under God, the good fraternity man and good fraternity woman being cast in the pattern of the good citizen. It is an entity of freedom.

The fraternity group is formed by mutual selection, based on congeniality and common purpose. Here the young member learns, perhaps for the first time, to submit to the will of the majority and to shape his own conduct by the interests and standards of the others with whom he lives. In assuming his share of work in the group, he develops a sense of responsibility for the well-being of something outside himself. He is merged with the group; must work with and for it; must fight to emerge as a leader who will direct it. He learns the great lesson of subordinating self and selfish desires for the good of others. He thus learns to lend his strength to those who have less, thus fulfilling and educational goal than which there is no higher.

No public opinion exercises so deep an influence upon youth as that of youth itself; neither home nor college can effect sweeping results with so little delay or friction. Moreover, in the chapter house men have the courage to be their best selves; and it is the only place they can do so. Here idealism is expected, not scoffed at; here altruism is the tradition, not the rare practice. In an academic atmosphere which has been too fond of

making its own rules for living, the fraternity group struggles to develop the same principles of community living which provide the basis of our form of government. The fraternity is cooperative living and hence it is alien in its perspective to the formal thinking and learning upon which the college has thrown so much of its emphasis. The good fraternity chapter is the best kind of democracy in action without fear or favor.

Members of the men’s groups are called brothers, which describes the closeness of relationship existing between members. The good chapter house resembles a home “where hearts are of each other sure.” A brotherhood group is

characterized by a high degree of spiritual homogeneity and is observed to produce the atmosphere of a wholesome family unit. Similarly, the good fraternity member feels that his college home is his castle and he rebels when it is suggested, as it might be in a socialistic or collectivistic society, that he take in unwelcome “roomers” and “boarders” with whom he is incapable of feeling at home. It is a law of human behavior, which has long been demonstrated in the home and in the community, that homogeneity of spirit fosters close fellowship but that heterogeneity of spirit, while it may produce thriving club associations and even nominal brotherhood (according to the sociologist’s definition), makes genuine spiritual brotherhood impossible to achieve. This kind of brotherhood is authoritatively defined only by brothers and the heart must cooperate freely in producing the definition.

President Willis M. Tate of Southern Methodist University, a Lambda Chi Alpha, told a convention of his fraternity brothers: “Our philosophy of brotherhood is the hope of the world. We have no choice but to learn to live together as brothers in a small world under the Fatherhood of God. Fraternities have long emphasized this philosophy of learning to live together as brothers. We discuss it, we sing about it, we brag about it, and we have it in our rituals.

No one can be a member of the bond without learning an affectionate regard for others.”

The late J. Hillis Miller, a life-loyal member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, when president of the University of Florida, spoke in a similar vein when he declared: “Whatever the exceptions may be, the fact remains that the college fraternity movement bears the name which defines the concept upon which the hope of the world must ultimately rest. This in itself is a challenge of unmistakable importance.”

The Reverend Norman Vincent Peale, Phi Gamma Delta, has said: “The fraternity is one of the most skillfully devised institutions among men where a boy disorganized is brought into an association of kindred spirits who believe in him and thereby help him find himself.

The fraternity makes men.”

John A. Krout, Alpha Tau Omega, when vice-president of Columbia University, said: “Hundreds of youth have gained in college fraternities an insight into the responsibilities that can never be separated from the privileges of self-government. They sense how powerful voluntary association can be in achieving a common objective. They have a chance to experiment with various ways of handling difficult human problems without destroying cooperative effort.

The administrative process involved in managing a chapter… within a balanced budget, is not to be learned from the pages of a treatise on political science.”

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News From Campus Delta Lambda Ball State University Muncie, Indiana

The serenade by the brothers unfortunately did not make the cut. Nonetheless it was a blast interacting with Biff and seeing Ball State on national television. Go Cards!!

~Dustin Schrougham, Historian Greetings to all Sinfonians from the brothers of the Delta Lambda Chapter. The Iota Pi Delta Lambda Chapter is holding strong at West Texas A&M University 39 collegiate members with four fall semester Canyon, Texas probationary members. Our probationary process has incorporated a new tradition aptly At almost every meeting of the Iota Pi named the “Schurger Shack.” It is named in Chapter, I invite an alumnus to come and be honor of Dave Shurger, a Delta Lambda interviewed.

Stories are told and advice is alumnus who lets us use his family cottage for given to the members.

We all laugh about this event. Delta Lambda, as of the fall of some of the old stories and sit there in awe as 1999, has also adoptwe listen to the most ed the use of a woodincredible memories. The en triangle in place of alumni that have been intera fraternity paddle. It viewed range from recent is quite a beautiful graduates telling about their representation of our lives in the real world to fraternity symbol. one of our alumni whom is As part of an 80-year-old retired docHomecoming week, tor sharing life’s important the annual Talent qualities with us.

Search was held. Our Along with the interPhi Mu Alpha Jazz view session, each alumnus Band won both “Best brings with him a recording in Class” and “Best Biff Henderson clowning around with of his favorite piece to play Overall” at last year’s the BSU Marching Band. and share with the memTalent Search. This bers. The experience truly year the Jazz Band brings the new and old members together was given the honor of playing an exhibition and bridges the generation gap. as last year’s winner, for which they jammed If you are interested in using this idea in to Chicago’s “Caravan.” With this year’s exhiyour chapter, you should ask your alumni secbition and last year’s win, the Phi Mu Alpha retary for a list of alumni. This program keeps Jazz Band has put the Delta Lambda Chapter alumni more involved with current chapter in the spotlight on the Ball State campus. functions. The rewards far outweigh the work For Homecoming, Ball State’s most it takes to organize this type of program. famous alumnus, David Letterman, sent his OAS, AAS, LLS! stage manager to the game. Biff Henderson, who has appeared with Dave on stage many times, was sent to videotape events for The Late Show. During the Homecoming parade, Biff marched with the BSU Band using Brother Eric Bailey’s baritone. After the game, Biff made his way to the marching band where he conducted the Ball State fight song. Before Biff could move on to postgame interviews, Delta Lambda President Doug Goodwin persuaded Biff into allowing us to serenade him. As Biff stood in front of the band, the brothers surrounded and serenaded him as “our Phi Mu Alpha Biff.” On Thursday, November 1, Biff’s exploits at Ball State, including marching with Brother Bailey’s horn and conducting the band, were aired on Letterman as “Biff at Ball State.”

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~Juan Arenas, Programs Committee Chair

Omicron Iota University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville, Wisconsin Greetings from the brothers of Omicron Iota! This semester has been a busy one for us, as we have been serving as the Mentor Chapter to Phi Colony (now Phi Chapter), which was reactivated Friday, November 9, at our Province Workshop.

Being a Mentor Chapter has been both a challenging and rewarding experience. Since our membership is down from last year, we were forced to go to some of our alumni to

ensure that we had enough big brothers to cover all of the colonists. Also, it has been a bit of a challenge for some of us to visit Phi due to our busy schedules. Thankfully, Madison is only a little over an hour away, and we were all able to make time to visit our little brothers.

Being a Mentor Chapter has been an educational experience for us. Our chapter was just chartered in 1996, and seeing Phi go through the colony process has reminded our founders of what they experienced and has allowed the rest of us to see what our chapter must have been like before its installation.

In conclusion, I’d like to acknowledge the hard work of our Province Governor, Dr. Barry Ellis, as well as everyone here at Omicron Iota, Xi Pi in Whitewater, and, of course, the new Phi Chapter in Madison.

Thanks to all of these people, this process was truly a memorable one. Long Live Sinfonia!

~ Nick McDermott, Historian

Theta Kappa Colony Mississippi College Clinton, Mississippi As we all know, one of the purposes of Sinfonia is to instill in all people an awareness of music’s important role in the enrichment of the human spirit. On April 17, 2001, the Children’s Choir of Mississippi, Madison Central High School, and Mississippi College co-sponsored a concert featuring the music of Moses Hogan. This concert, with over five hundred in attendance, was conducted in part

by Brother Hogan, an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Our fulfillment of the previously mentioned purpose was achieved by hosting a reception for Mr. Hogan after the concert. In doing so, we provided an opportunity for the audience to stay and converse with the choral performers and Moses Hogan, encouraging dialogue between the audience and performers. This type of event enables our colony members to develop deeper fraternal bonds and to work together on a large-scale project. Three colony members were especially helpful: Ron Gatlin, Marc Cerisier, and Laurin Mizelle.

~Dr. Robert Knupp, Faculty Advisor

(continued on page 7)

Ossian Everett Mills Music Mission A plea for articles

Epsilon Lambda University of Georgia Athens, Georgia On September 23, 2001, two dozen brothers of our chapter visited the Morningside Nursing Home. Vice President Matt Koperniak introduced our chapter to the homes’ residents, and our Faculty Advisor Ivan Frazier began to play the piano introduction to “A Sinfonian Anthem.” We sang several of our Sinfonian songs including a heartfelt rendition of “A Serenade to a Girl” to the ladies of Morningside.

We all showed up wearing red, white, or blue polo shirts to show our patriotism after the events of September 11. We also invited the members of the nursing home to join in our singing of “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America.”

We concluded our performance with “Sinfonia Parting Song” and “Hail, Sinfonia.” All the brothers then dispersed around the room and introduced themselves to the members of the nursing home and spoke with them. Our participation in the Mills Music Mission was a wonderful event that both our chapter and the members of the nursing home enjoyed greatly. ~Brian Westphal, Historian

When this monthly feature first began in September 2000, it was not difficult finding enough news to publish on the MMM. The project was still young, and word of its benefit was still spreading across the country.

In the year and a half since that time, however, the MMM has become so overwhelmingly popular that chapters are often viewing it as a standard event in their calendars and no longer newsworthy. It IS newsworthy, Brothers, and we hope that you will help us keep this monthly feature alive by contributing your stories of your experiences with the MMM. Whether a write-up of the event, a newspaper clipping, or a testimonial on the power of the project, we want to publish news of your good work in the mission of Sinfonia.

Please send your articles as soon as possible to editor@sinfonia.org. Please also attach photographs of your event, or feel free to send both through the mail to the National Headquarters. Thank you in advance for helping to keep this feature going!

THE MILLS MUSIC MISSION...

Then and Now

When was the last time you participated in the Mills Music Mission? Let us hear from you!

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Operational Update Chapter Information

Fraternity Statistics

as of January 17, 2002

as of January 17, 2002

Number of Chapters: 200

Collegiate members in Good Standing:

3,448

Number of Alumni Associations: 3 Collegiate members on Suspension:

Dallas/Ft. Worth Philadelphia Washington, D.C.

Collegiate members (total):

Number of Colonies: 11 Delta Eta (Youngstown State University) Zeta Omega (University of Hartford) Theta Kappa (Mississippi College) Lambda Xi (University of Mississippi) Lambda Pi (Boston Conservatory) Nu Epsilon (University of ArkansasMonticello)

Pi Chi (Texas A&M University-Kingsville) Phi Chi (Georgia State University) Alabama Beta (University of AlabamaBirmingham) Illinois Beta (Elmhurst College) Oklahoma Beta (Langston University)

Chapters on probation for not filing their Fall 2001 Personnel Report and/or nonpayment of convocations tax: Alpha Delta (Iowa State University) Alpha Theta (Miami University) Beta Lambda (Muskingum College) Beta Xi (Ohio State University) Beta Tau (University of Miami)

Percentage of total collegiate membership on Suspension: Total amount of outstanding per capita tax owed to Sinfonia:

704 4,152

16.96%

$57,508

Gamma Delta (Murray State University) Gamma Tau (Indiana University) Epsilon Eta (University of Puget Sound) Epsilon Pi (Hartwick College) Omicron Theta (New Jersey City University)

MyDesktop a huge hit… Are you plugged in?

Over 2000 brothers are already signed onto Sinfonia’s newest and best-ever online service, MyDesktop. If you haven’t signed up yet, go to www.lyrecrest.net/mydesktop today! This service is designed by and run from Lyrecrest, so there’s no risk of the “dot-gone” phenomenon! Just amazing features and services at your fingertips, 24 hours a day, and it’s all free!

Features include: • Real-time updates to your personal information!

• Subscribe and unsubscribe from listserves with just a click!

• Chat program screen names of hundreds of brothers around the country!

• Calendar of events, including ones you can add for your chapter!

• Instant membership records listings!

• Chapter officer tools, including officer updates and member listings!

• Online initiation reporting!

So point your browser to www.lyrecrest.net/mydesktop and get plugged into Sinfonia’s online services!

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News You Can Use COS Meeting Wrap-Up On the weekend of January 11-13, 2002, the members of the Commission on Standards (COS) met at Lyrecrest for their semi-annual meeting. At each meeting of the COS, they use a set of four criteria corresponding to the minimum standards of chapter viability to evaluate the health of each chapter. These criteria are: 1. Has the Personnel Report been filed with payment to the headquarters?

2. Does the chapter have at least 10 members in Good Standing?

3. Is more than 20% of the chapter membership on Suspension for nonpayment of per capita taxes (dues)?

4. Has the chapter filed an Initiation Report in the past 12 months?

Following each meeting, the COS sends a letter to each chapter informing them which, if any, of the above areas show need for improvement in the chapter’s operations. After their January meeting, the COS was able to mail letters to 116 chapters informing them that they were not deficient in any of the above areas! Did your chapter president share with you your chapter’s recent follow-up letter from the COS meeting?

A summary of actions of the Winter 2002 COS meeting is provided at right.

Chapters placed on Inactive status: Eta-Omicron (University of Cincinnati), Province 3 Delta Zeta (Oklahoma City University), Province 8 Iota Tau (Old Dominion University), Province 18 Alpha Omega (Carnegie Mellon University), Province 21 Pi Alpha (East Texas Baptist University), Province 32 Epsilon Delta (University of South Alabama), Province 34 Colonies approved for Phase II of the Colony Program: Lambda Pi (Boston Conservatory), Province 1 Delta Eta (Youngstown State University), Province 21 Lambda Xi (University of Mississippi), Province 24 Colony Program review: The Commission on Standards discussed and approved a full revision of the Colony Program, the Fraternity’s program for educating groups of men interested in installing or reactivating chapters on their campuses. The revised program has been forwarded to the National Executive Committee for consideration and adoption.

(News From Campus, continued from page 4)

Lambda Gamma Edinboro University of PA Edinboro, Pennsylvania The brothers of Lambda Gamma at Edinboro University had a tremendous year in 2000-2001. After helping to celebrate the chapter’s 25th Anniversary, last year’s initiates have been working hard to improve every aspect of the chapter from recruiting to faculty relations.

In the past, Lambda Gamma has sometimes had a strained relationship with some music department faculty and students. In an effort to remedy this, a faculty appreciation lunch was set up and any faculty member interested was provided with a free lunch.

Some brothers came forward with the idea of having a piano smash and donating the proceeds towards the purchase of a new sign for the music department building, Heather Hall.

After weeks of planning, the event was held and the chapter raised $115 towards the purchase of a new sign. Both faculty and students were impressed with the generous donation.

The chapter also met the goal of starting a new chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Some friends attending Youngstown State University showed a tremendous amount of interest, and before long they were hard at work at reactivating the Delta Eta Chapter.

Both groups are hard at work getting to know each other, and we are sharing expertise to get the colony off to a good start.

The future looks bright for Lambda Gamma, as new doors are opened every day.

We look forward to the new challenges that come our way. May all chapters have such an eventful year as Lambda Gamma.

~Scott Irlbacher, Historian and Alumni Secretary

Brother Joey Stone, Pi Tau ’93, recently stopped by Lyrecrest to show off his display of Fraternity pride on the side of his semi.

Honk if you see him!

Lambda Gamma Brothers pose with members of the Delta Eta Colony at YSU.

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Upcoming Sinfonia Events

New Sinfonia Merchandise!

NE Regional Convention

SINFONIA’S FIRST FITTED CAP!

March 8-10, 2002 – Gettysburg, PA http://www.sinfonia.net/neregional/

"NU-FIT"

DESIGN OFFERS ALL OF

THE STYLE OF A FITTED CAP WITH AN

EXPANDING

GREEK LETTER

HBCU Convention

DESIGN FOR

NEW 2002.

ITEM #:05HT4

$15.00

April 12-14, 2002 – Washington, D.C. Registration fee and forms due March 1!

CROWN!

All in stock and ready to ship today at the Sinfonia Store:

For registration information, please contact: hbcu_convention_2002@yahoo.com (202) 806-4565

WWW .LYRECREST .NET /MERCHANDISE

Mail registration fees and forms to: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity Zeta Iota Chapter Howard University Department of Music Washington DC 20059

SINFONIA BUMPER STICKER Black and white design with permanent adhesive on the back. $1.00

Calendar

Item #:05BS

Publication Information

Spring Personnel Reports due (postmark deadline)

March 1, 2002

Northeast Regional (Gettysburg, PA)

March 8-10, 2002

Non-filing chapters placed on probation

March 15, 2002

Good Friday (Lyrecrest closed)

March 29, 2002

HBCU Convention (Washington, DC)

April 12-14, 2002

Annual Lyrecrest Work Weekend

May 17-19, 2002

Memorial Day (Lyrecrest closed)

May 27, 2002

The Red & Black is published as an informational newsletter for the Fraternity’s chapters, colonies, faculty advisors, governors, committeemen, and national officers.

The Red & Black is printed monthly - September to April.

Photographs and articles from your chapter are highly encouraged for upcoming issues of The Red & Black. Please send the articles and photographs to <editor@sinfonia.org>. If you are unable to send these items via email, simply mail them to Lyrecrest for inclusion in the next available issue. The deadline for the April issue is March 5, 2002.

Editor: Layout / Design:

Ryan T. Ripperton, Alpha Rho Jeremy A. Korba, Epsilon Upsilon

The Lyrecrest Staff James P. Morris, Alpha Iota Ryan T. Ripperton, Alpha Rho Jeremy A. Korba, Epsilon Upsilon Cheri F. Spicer Kamie M. Kelley Danielle L. Suder (ΣAI) Debra L. Celuch Susan R. Lane

Executive Director Assistant Director of the Fraternity Assistant Director of Finance & Marketing Executive Assistant Fraternity Services Associate Office Assistant Office Assistant Office Assistant

morris@sinfonia.org ripperton@sinfonia.org korba@sinfonia.org spicer@sinfonia.org kelley@sinfonia.org suder@sinfonia.org celuch@sinfonia.org lane@sinfonia.org

Ext.23 Ext.24 Ext.25 Ext.23 Ext.21 Ext.27 Ext.28 Ext.21

PHI MU ALPHA SINFONIA FRATERNITY OF AMERICA, INC. 10600 Old State Road

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Evansville, Indiana

47711-1399

www.sinfonia.org ~ www.lyrecrest.net

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(800) 473-2649