The Red & Black - 2012 (Nov/Dec. Edition)

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Volume XXIX Number 2 November/December 2012 The collegiate newsletter of

Sinfonia Education & Retreat Center

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Sinfonia Conference Call Series On Wednesday, Sept. 5, Vice President Mark Lichtenberg, Delta Nu (Bradley) ’93, and COO Jeremy Evans, Delta Nu (Bradley) ’98, led a conference call on legislative changes that were enacted at last summer’s Convention. With about 60 brothers in attendance, many of them chapter presidents, Brother Lichtenberg discussed the changes that were voted upon as well as the new structure to the governing documents that will help clarify and organize the documents for those with questions.

This conference call was not an isolated incident. This marks the beginning of the Sinfonia Conference Call Series, which will feature a new call and topic the first Wednesday of every month. This series will occur eight months out of the year, consecutively from September through May (skipping December), and the hope is that the program can continue into next year and beyond, covering pertinent topics throughout the Sinfonian landscape.

Various Sinfonian leaders will be on hand for the calls to talk about different aspects of Fraternity endeavors. While not every call will be geared toward each brother, every brother can benefit from at least one.

Another important feature of this series is that each is available to listen to after the call takes place.

So for brothers interested in the few that have already taken place, they will be able to catch up on what they missed. These audio files, as well as information on the next call, are available at www.sinfonia.org/sccs.

Here’s an outline of the full series: September (Governing Documents): Vice-President Mark Lichtenberg discussed the new governing documents.

Topics included the new structure to make them easier to understand, methods on how to interact with and search the documents, and what to do when there is a conflict between national and chapter rules.

October (Recommended Fraternity Education Program): President Mongiovi discussed the Recommended Fraternity Education Program. Topics included how to introduce the program to probationary members, how the program integrates with the new Themes for Brotherhood, and how to structure a full PM education program that is comprehensive in its coverage of the Fraternity and its history.

November (Alumni Involvement): This call focused on alumni involvement and the new membership tier pins. This was not just a call (see “Conference Call Series,” page 3)

Operational Updates Chapters: Colonies:

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Florida Theta (Rollins College) Xi Sigma (Bethel College) Rho Omega (Virginia Commonwealth) Virginia Epsilon (Virginia State University) Iota Phi (University of New Mexico) Eta Phi (University of Southern Mississippi) Pi Nu (Jackson State University) Delaware Beta (Delaware State University) Texas Eta (University of Mary Hardin-Baylor) Alpha Upsilon (University of Arizona) Florida Iota (Edward Waters College) Texas Theta (Texas Southern University)

Alumni Associations:

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Collegiate members in Good Standing 5,842 Collegiate members on Suspension 681 Collegiate members (total) 6,523 Percentage of total collegiate suspensions 10.4% Total amount of outstanding per capita tax owed to Sinfonia $93,555.00

Publication Information 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 bimonthly, 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.

Editor/Layout:

Mark A. Wilson, Delta Eta ’03

Lyrecrest Staff: Chief Operating Officer

Jeremy M. Evans, Delta Nu ’98 evans@sinfonia.org Ext. 108

Director of Programs

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

Director of Communications

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

Retreat Coordinator Cameron C. Miller, Xi Mu ’08 & Programs Associate miller@sinfonia.org Ext. 103 Controller

Mary J. Carie carie@sinfonia.org

Ext. 105

Administrative Coordinator

Kimberly J. Daily daily@sinfonia.org

Ext. 100

Administrative Assisstant

Elizabeth A. Rader erader@sinfonia.org

Ext. 101

Shipping Clerk

Sarah Todisco todisco@sinfonia.org

Ext. 106

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Collegiate Involvement: Struggles & Strategies

By Mark Wilson, Delta Eta (Youngstown State) ’03, Director of Communications One of the things we hear in all sorts of activities and groups is that we need to “get involved.” This tagline isn’t exclusive to Phi Mu Alpha. It can be tricky to know exactly what that means, or how we can actually be “involved” in the organization and take on a leadership role.

And sometimes it can seem like we’re pulled in too many different directions by all of our involvement. We’ve all felt the stressful crunch of schoolwork, or the tension between our personal lives, social lives, and academic or professional duties.

There’s no one way to handle these issues, but someone once told me “90% of leadership is just showing up,” and I think that can apply to much of what we do. Look at your chapter, at all of the meetings and events, and pick out the leaders. Not necessarily officers, though many leaders find their way into officer positions. What separates these men, the ones you look up to as leaders?

Often, it is simply engagement. They attend every meeting, go out of their way to spend time with brothers, and are active participants in events and discussions. If a group is important to you – as I hope Phi Mu Alpha is to each and every brother – just showing up is half the battle. Regardless of official title, this care for Sinfonia will be evident; younger brothers will look up to you, and your voice will matter on issues big and small.

Entire books are written about fraternal involvement, and there is of course more to leadership than simply being present. But this simple step, and a conscious effort to improve one’s engagement with the chapter, can open a new world for many Sinfonians.

The unfortunate truth, though, is that “half the battle” is often still a struggle due to other commitments. A missed meeting or rehearsal, followed by scattered others, can lead to numerous absences if brothers are not careful. For most, it is not a lack of passion for Sinfonia but simply real-world realities that cause their involvement with the chapter to suffer. Here, again, there is no easy answer, but our ideals can light the way for us even during such duress. Specifically, the value of Truth. Be truthful with yourself.

Are you taking on too much? What activities are you involved in, and which are most important to you? What compromises can you make for each activity or organization that will help you stay involved? And second, be truthful with your brothers. Let them know if you are struggling with attendance or engagement, or try to find ways to balance your duties to Phi Mu Alpha with your other commitments and responsibilities. Often I’ve seen or heard of struggling brothers, and there is little to no communication between the brother and his chapter. Honest, open communication can lead to mutually beneficial solutions.

Nobody looks back fondly on late-night cramming sessions, missing a party to practice, working 40 hours a week while also attending school, 8:00am classes, or many other common obstacles, but these are some of the many challenges involved in balancing college life. The rich personal rewards Phi Mu Alpha bestows upon brothers only come from active, passionate involvement, so it is worth every brother’s time to find ways to balance their Sinfonia duties with others.

And it’s worth every chapter’s time to help those brothers succeed, both within the chapter and outside of it.

(from“Conference Call Series,” page 1) for alumni, but included suggestions and guidelines for collegiate brothers to encourage alumni engagement with their local chapter. It also highlighted the new membership pins, which are a great way to honor alumni and bring them back to the chapter at the same time.

January 2nd (Chapter Operations): Have a question about the regular operations in your chapter? Want to help guide your chapter to success? From reporting and documentation, to structure and governance, this is a call that chapter officers will not want to miss.

February 6th (American Music Programs): American music performances are a hallmark of every chapter. This conference call will help you make the most of these performances, and also provide resources and background for the program to enrich the experience of brothers everywhere.

March 6th (Mills Music Missions): Our national philanthropy is as strong as it has ever been, and is a fitting tribute to our founder. But many chapters struggle to make these a truly transcendent experience. This call will give chapters the tools they need to begin to reform MMMs in their chapter, to make the most of this musical and brotherly endeavor.

April 3rd (Sinfonia’s History, Symbols, and Ceremonies): A wide variety of historical and modern symbols and practices will be covered in this conference call. Any brother who is interested in the origins and meanings behind Sinfonia’s rich history of words, music, and symbols will want to be onhand to absorb these fascinating facts.

May 1st (Music Advocacy): As musicians, teachers, and supporters of music, this is a topic that pertains to every brother. Join us for this talk, where we’ll discuss current trends in music education and advocacy, as well as resources for becoming a responsible music advocate in your community or school.

The possibilities for topics as we move forward with this program are endless. We hope all interested brothers are able to attend or listen to numerous calls. Collectively, this will increase the knowledge and preparedness of every chapter and province, strengthening our brotherhood as a whole.

For the latest info on the Sinfonia Conference Call Series, and to listen to past calls, visit www.sinfonia.org/sccs.

Phi Mu Alpha’s Musical Alliances and Partnerships

National Association for Music Education

Barbershop Harmony Society

Drum Corps International

In recent months, Phi Mu Alpha has announced alliances with a number of prominent music organizations. These alliances will help solidify Sinfonia’s place in American music, and will also provide resources and opportunities for brothers.

Visit www.sinfonia.org/affiliates to see all of Phi Mu Alpha’s organizational and musical partners, and to learn more about the resources these groups can offer.

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The Sinfonia Education and Retreat Center More beds means more brothers can visit on retreats.

Full-sized classroom for retreats and educational programs.

Handicap-accessible restrooms and showers.

Proposed Building Plan Full-service kitchen.

Recreational lounge for brothers to relax.

Visit www.facebook.com/thelyrecrestfund for more!

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Membership Awards Membership Awards are now available at the headquarters. These awards represent 10-, 25-, and 50-year milestones for alumni, and are designed to encourage chapters to reconnect with their alumni. Due to the high volume of requests for the awards, the pins will only be distributed for free twice a year, with the late fall and late spring care packages. Chapters should plan around these dates in order to obtain pins to present them to alumni the following semester. For more information, consult the Guide to Awards in the resources section of our website, or contact Director of Programs Will Lambert at lambert@sinfonia.org.

Leadership Institute 2013 The 2013 Leadership Institute is fast approaching. The dates for this year’s event are June 27-30. Start to make your plans now to attend, at what is sure to be a spectacular event.

Province Governors Two new province governors have been appointed, following the fall meeting of the National Executive Committee.

Brian C. Odom, Theta Lambda (Hardin-Simmons) ’06, is the new Province Governor in Province 23.

Brian has served as Collegiate Province Representative and Chapter President.

Dr. Philip Autry, Mu Gamma (Angelo State University) ’99, is the new Province Governor for Province 15. Autry is currently active with the Zeta Rho Chapter at Fisk University, where he is Faculty Advisor, and is also active with the Nashville Area Alumni Association. He is Associate Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy and Music Area Coordinator at Fisk University, and a private piano instructor.

Social Media Are you one of our nearly 20,000 Facebook fans?

Or among the nearly 1,000 Twitter followers? Stay involved and up-to-date on the latest in Sinfonia News by becoming one! www.facebook.com/phimualphasinfonia and @phimualpha

News From Headquarters

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Beta Psi Chapter University of California-Los Angeles • Los Angeles, Calif.

On May 12 the chapters of Beta Psi of UCLA and Kappa Omicron of CSU Long Beach hosted the first Sinfonia Helps Music concert at Bret Harte Prepatory Middle School in Los Angeles. The goal of this project was to raise funds and awareness for this extremely influential and growing program that caters to at-risk youth, as music is widely recognized as one of the most beneficial co-curricular activities in a child’s education. This free concert featured many brothers of Beta Psi and Kappa Omicron in small groups and large ensembles, performing traditional American music, jazz, and Disney classics, as well as a performance by the Bret Harte Concert Band. The money raised by our chapters through individual

donations and business sponsors was used to purchase instruments for the middle school’s music department.

We utilized our website, sinfoniahelpsmusic.org, to promote the concert and to collect donations to help support the school’s music programs. The instruments purchased by our chapters were presented to Bret Harte at a special ceremony on August 28. The brothers of Beta Psi and Kappa Omicron hope to continue this tradition of supporting local music departments with an annual Sinfonia Helps Music concert, raising awareness in our communities so that these programs may continue to benefit children for generations to come.

Gamma Eta Chapter Furman University • Greenville, South Carolina When brought up in one of our meetings last school year, several brothers in the chapter jumped at the chance to attend our National Convention in Orlando over the summer. The eight-hour trip from South Carolina was a long one, but what our chapter members experienced at the Convention more than made up for it. One common thread in all of their stories about the Convention was that the meeting of so many brothers in music, a gathering of so many to

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advance music in America, was one of the most inspiring events in their careers as Sinfonians. Being around not only our national leaders, but brothers from all around the country gave the delegation from Gamma Eta a new perspective on the scope of our common ideals and missions. The many informative sessions, talks, and speeches at the convention also gave our brothers insight into the way to properly revere and maintain the rituals and customs we hold dear, as well as new ways to make our chapter more efficient.

Lambda Beta Chapter Susquehanna University • Selinsgrove, Penn.

Over the course of the past year, the chapter inducted a pledge class of twelve men. We raised nearly one thousand dollars during our Save the Sound Benefit for the Music Department of the West Perry High School, where many brothers of our chapter have a personal connection to either the school or the students. We took part in SU Serves, a community service program run by our university. The brothers also mulched and helped landscape a public park with baseball and soccer fields, and did our regular cleaning of a highway area that is about forty-five minutes

away from our fraternity house.

We also took part in Greek Week, a weeklong competition among fraternities and sororities in athletic and academic events. Phi Mu Alpha finished in 3rd place overall, but stole the show with an airband performance that received an incredible amount of positive reviews. The brothers are excited for another year together, where we look forward to a large pledge class, great memories, an even more incredible airband routine, and more community service.

Pi Eta Chapter Morgan State University • Baltimore, Maryland We started this semester off with two membership drives that were focused respectively on the instrumentalists and vocalists of Morgan State University. For the Morgan State Marching Band, we surprised them with a pizza party directly after they had completed their first week of band camp. For the Morgan State Choir, we hosted a welcome back to school ice cream social on the first day of classes.

A major vision for the chapter this year is to increase the interaction between all Greek organizations on Morgan State’s campus. The

first event we had this year was an open mic night held in conjunction with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority. The Pi Eta Chapter provided the live band for this event and has since been hired by many organizations on Morgan State’s campus to provide live music for their events.

Lastly, the Pi Eta Chapter held a Labor Day cookout in September. We had brothers from Xi Eta (Morehouse College), Zeta Mu (Sam Houston State University) and Zeta Iota (Howard University) all come into town for our event and share in this exalted experience.

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Sigma Epsilon Chapter Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne • Fort Wayne, Indiana We are the newly initiated chapter in Province 28, and would like to thank everyone that had a helping hand in our initiation this past April. Although we haven’t been active for long, we have been very busy. This summer we did multiple fundraisers at Red Robin to start getting our

name out in the public. Also, this fall semester we are having our first class of probationary members, which we are all very excited about. We’re looking forward to growing as a chapter and becoming even more active in coming years.

Beta Sigma Chapter University of Idaho • Moscow, Idaho On September 3rd the chapter had an informational meeting for interested men. This year’s meeting had more attendees than ever before and several others were unable to attend but still expressed interest. One week later the chapter held its ceremony for pinning, where 18 men became probationary members, by far the largest probationary class in chapter history. This year’s probationary

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class was one of the most diverse (in terms of instrumentation and major) ever. This large probationary class will lead to a significant increase in the size of the chapter. The Beta Sigma Chapter has worked hard in recent years to expand recruiting outside of just the brass sections of marching band and this year it finally paid off. We are very excited about the potential of this group of men.

Xi Epsilon Chapter Shepherd University • Shepherdstown, West Virginia From fall 2011 to spring 2012, the Xi Epsilon chapter participated in many events. In Fall 2011, the chapter held a Haunted Mini-Golf course, a canned food drive, a musicale, a Mills Music Mission, and attended Province 27’s SLAM. In

spring 2012, the chapter participated in Relay for Life, attended Province 27’s Workshop and participated in a benefit concert in Frederick for the Interfaith Housing Alliance. Overall, the chapter had a productive school year.

Beta Xi Chapter The Ohio State University • Columbus, Ohio The very first game of the football season has already provided a true moment of brotherhood, despite the fact that it was with our opponents. The marching bands of The Ohio State University and Miami University got the chance to share a wonderful musical experience on the morning of September 1st in OSU’s Skull session. The two bands got the chance to play their show, allowing both groups to truly enjoy the hard work and musicianship of the other. After the concert, the brothers from both Beta Xi and Alpha Theta that were in the

respective bands got to mingle and meet each other, which was a beneficial experience. During halftime, both bands were able to watch each other’s performances, both of which were very impressive and enjoyable. Both chapters had the chance to reconvene once again during the third quarter and meet some of the brothers that were not there the first time. A sense of unity was still able to be reached, even if our teams were fighting for the win. In the end, we are and always will be Sinfonians.

Beta Omicron Chapter Mansfield University • Mansfield, Pennsylvania The past semester for the chapter has been a productive one. With the initiation of spring 2012’s probationary class we now consist of 22 active brothers. Some highlights of our accomplishments include participation in Relay for Life (leading in the singing of the national anthem), participation in an all-brother opera chorus, in which the composer of the opera, Samuel Adler, attended. We also performed successful AMRs and MMMs along with participation in a benefit concert for

an Adopt-a-School service project. We also had successful fundraisers such our Valentine’s Day fundraiser: Sing-in-Tux. The chapter also had the privilege of sending four brothers to represent our chapter at the National Convention this past summer.

We hope to continue our hard work and efforts to the advancement of music in America and continuing to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood. On and ever upward!

Has your chapter done something interesting or exciting? Let us know at editor@sinfonia.org

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Job Opening At Lyrecrest!

Searching for Next Year’s Retreat Coordinator and Programs Associate Have you ever considered spending a year working for the Fraternity? Are you looking for an unique job after college? Would you enjoy leading and facilitating groups of brothers from across the nation? Do you want a flexible and fun work experience that would apply to almost any future endeavor? This may be the opportunity you are looking for!

Job Title: Retreat Coordinator and Programs Associate

Responsibilities include: The Retreat Coordinator and Programs Associate shall be responsible for all chapter and province retreats and other weekend Fraternity gatherings at Lyrecrest. He will maintain the Fraternity’s colony program and perform membership records duties. He will serve as the primary contact at the national headquarters for collegiate members.

Eligibility: Must be a Sinfonian in good standing possessing a Bachelor’s degree in any field. Experience with Microsoft Office is a must.

Must have a vehicle and be able to lift at least 50 pounds.

Benefits include: Competitive salary, free housing and utilities, health/dental insurance, great profesional work experience and the opportunity to meet and interact with brothers from all over the country.

Hours: Full-time-plus, with adjusted work week schedule centering around weekend retreats and events at Lyrecrest.

Application deadline: March 1, 2013

gained through this position serves as a great starting point for any young professional.

Past Retreat Coordinator Sean Leno, Phi Omega (Dayton) ’00, describes his experience this way: My time as Retreat Coordinator at Lyrecrest provided me with a valuable new skill set and a truly one of a kind work experience. The opportunities given to me for both personal and professional growth were unparalleled in quality and value. You, just as I did, will experience the Fraternity on a level never before imagined, gaining the “insider’s” view of a large, successful organization as well as meeting and interacting with the Brothers that keep this organization moving.

Past Retreat Coordinator and Programs Associate Matthew Downing, Beta Lambda (Muskingum) ’04 had this to say about his time at Lyrecrest: Rarely in life do you get the chance to know you’ve positively affected the lives of others. As the Retreat Coordinator and Programs Associate, I was challenged and privileged to meet and work with over 500 Sinfonians. Though my time of service to the National Fraternity was relatively short, I know I accomplished some of my lifetime career goals. I was extremely lucky to work for an organization I feel passionate about helping to elevate others and work towards benefiting society through music. The memories and experiences I have gained from my work at Phi Mu Alpha are truly irreplaceable.

To apply, please send resumé, cover letter, contact information for three references, and a detailed history of Fraternity experience to: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity National Headquarters Attn: Retreat Coordinator & Programs Associate Search 10600 Old State Road Evansville, IN 47711-1399

Term of employment: August 1, 2013 — July 31, 2014 (position turns over annually) This position is ideal for a graduating brother with an outgoing personality who is looking to gain valuable work experience and is interested in working at the national headquarters. The experience

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Don’t Delay! Application Deadline is March 1!

Apply today!

Operation Taps Receives National Citation

I played Taps for a veteran’s family that had the second and third generations present at the cemetery. The deceased was a WWII Marine Corps vet, and his sons were big tough, blue collar, biker types in their 40’s. The grand kids’ ages ranged from as young as maybe 3 or 4 years old to high school age. The teenagers clearly didn’t want to be there; they had their iPods and game devices and barely looked up the whole time. You could almost say they were disrespectful, given the solemnity of the event.

We got to the Military Honors part of the service, where active duty Marines stand at each end of the casket to salute the fallen while I sounded Taps… when I was done, I looked up at these big, tough bikers and they were pretty choked up, and the teenagers were wide-eyed and had that “Whoa, this is serious” look on their faces.

A Military Honors Funeral concludes with the folding of the flag, and presenting it to the next of kin, in this case the oldest son. The Honor Guardsmen then stepped back and saluted that flag one final time while it was in the hands of the son. The tears were flowing, and there was audible sobbing and sniffling. Big, strong men were reduced to tears.

As the family was leaving the cemetery, there was a young mother and her little daughter holding hands and walking toward the exit. I overheard as the little girl looked up at her mother and asked, “Mommy, was Papa a hero?” The mother just knelt down and hugged her daughter and broke down in full blown tears and said “Yes he was, and he’ll always love you, even from heaven.”

-Tom Allen, founder of Operation Taps

The National Citation is an award that is given to individuals or organizations that, through their efforts, reflect the goals and Object of Phi Mu Alpha. It is intended to highlight groups or individuals that have lastingly contributed to society through their musical, personal, or philanthropic endeavors. At the 2012 National Convention, the National Citation was presented to Operation Taps and its founder, Tom Allen.

The objective of Operation Taps is “to promote Taps bugler volunteerism among the civilian brass playing community, and to encourage music organizations to proactively connect with their communities to pay tribute to America’s Military Heroes.” Too few veterans are able to have Taps performed by a live bugler at their funeral, and Operation Taps helps to finds interested performers and connect them with veteran groups and funeral homes, in order to remedy this problem.

Brothers who are interested in helping this cause should visit the Operation Taps website at operationtaps.org.

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SINFONIA STORE Holiday Sale!

Clothing Regular Black Hoodie $35-$45 Dandelion Polo $29.50-$37.75 Flannel Pants $25 Red/Navy/Black Polo $33.75-38 Wife T-shirt $17.50-18.50 Kids T-shirt $10.75

Sale Price 25% off 25% off 20% off 15% off 15% off $8

Glassware & Gift Items Zippo (Black) Watch Deck of Cards Lyrecrest Ornament Round Ornament Wine Flute

Regular $32.50 $49.99 $4.75 $15 $9 $7.75

Sale Price $25 $35.99 $4 $9 $4 $5

Visit www.sinfoniastore.org for more sales!