The collegiate newsletter of3Volume XXIX Number 2 November/December 2012

Sinfonia Conference Call SeriesOn Wednesday, Sept. 5, Vice President Mark

Lichtenberg, Delta Nu (Bradley) ’93, and COOJeremy Evans, Delta Nu (Bradley) ’98, led a confer-ence call on legislative changes that were enacted atlast summer’s Convention. With about 60 brothersin attendance, many of them chapter presidents,Brother Lichtenberg discussed the changes that werevoted upon as well as thenew structure to the gov-erning documents thatwill help clarify andorganize the documentsfor those with questions.

This conference callwas not an isolated inci-dent. This marks thebeginning of the SinfoniaConference Call Series, which will feature a new calland topic the first Wednesday of every month. Thisseries will occur eight months out of the year, con-secutively from September through May (skippingDecember), and the hope is that the program cancontinue into next year and beyond, covering perti-nent topics throughout the Sinfonian landscape.

Various Sinfonian leaders will be on hand forthe calls to talk about different aspects of Fraternityendeavors. While not every call will be gearedtoward each brother, every brother can benefit fromat least one.

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

So for brothers interested in the few that havealready taken place, they will be able to catch up onwhat they missed. These audio files, as well asinformation on the next call, are available atwww.sinfonia.org/sccs. Here’s an outline of the full series:

September (Governing Documents): Vice-President Mark Lichtenberg dis-cussed the new governing documents.Topics included the new structure tomake them easier to understand,methods on how to interact with andsearch the documents, and what to dowhen there is a conflict betweennational and chapter rules.

October (Recommended Fraternity EducationProgram):President Mongiovi discussed the RecommendedFraternity Education Program. Topics included howto introduce the program to probationary members,how the program integrates with the new Themes forBrotherhood, and how to structure a full PM educa-tion program that is comprehensive in its coverageof the Fraternity and its history.

November (Alumni Involvement):This call focused on alumni involvement and thenew membership tier pins. This was not just a call

(see “Conference Call Series,” page 3)

114

SinfoniaEducation &

RetreatCenter

SinfoniaEducation &

RetreatCenter

By Mark Wilson,Delta Eta (YoungstownState) ’03, Director ofCommunications

One of the thingswe hear in all sorts ofactivities and groups isthat we need to “getinvolved.” This taglineisn’t exclusive to PhiMu Alpha. It can be

tricky to know exactly what that means, orhow we can actually be “involved” in theorganization and take on a leadership role.And sometimes it can seem like we’re pulledin too many different directions by all of ourinvolvement. We’ve all felt the stressfulcrunch of schoolwork, or the tension betweenour personal lives, social lives, and academicor professional duties.

There’s no one way to handle theseissues, but someone once told me “90% ofleadership is just showing up,” and I thinkthat can apply to much of what we do. Lookat your chapter, at all of the meetings andevents, and pick out the leaders. Not neces-sarily officers, though many leaders find theirway into officer positions. What separatesthese men, the ones you look up to as leaders?Often, it is simply engagement. They attendevery meeting, go out of their way to spendtime with brothers, and are active participantsin events and discussions. If a group isimportant to you – as I hope Phi Mu Alphais to each and every brother – just showingup is half the battle. Regardless of officialtitle, this care for Sinfonia will be evident;younger brothers will look up to you, andyour voice will matter on issues big and small.

Entire books are written about fraternalinvolvement, and there is of course more toleadership than simply being present. Butthis simple step, and a conscious effort toimprove 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 toother commitments. A missed meeting orrehearsal, followed by scattered others, canlead to numerous absences if brothers are notcareful. For most, it is not a lack of passionfor Sinfonia but simply real-world realitiesthat cause their involvement with the chapterto suffer. Here, again, there is no easyanswer, but our ideals can light the way for useven during such duress. Specifically, thevalue of Truth. Be truthful with yourself.Are you taking on too much? What activitiesare you involved in, and which are mostimportant to you? What compromises canyou make for each activity or organizationthat will help you stay involved? And second,be truthful with your brothers. Let themknow if you are struggling with attendance orengagement, or try to find ways to balanceyour duties to Phi Mu Alpha with your othercommitments and responsibilities. Often I’veseen or heard of struggling brothers, andthere is little to no communication betweenthe brother and his chapter. Honest, opencommunication can lead to mutually benefi-cial solutions.

Nobody looks back fondly on late-nightcramming sessions, missing a party to prac-tice, working 40 hours a week while alsoattending school, 8:00am classes, or manyother common obstacles, but these are someof the many challenges involved in balancingcollege life. The rich personal rewards PhiMu Alpha bestows upon brothers only comefrom active, passionate involvement, so it isworth every brother’s time to find ways tobalance their Sinfonia duties with others.And it’s worth every chapter’s time to helpthose brothers succeed, both within the chap-ter and outside of it.

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Collegiate Involvement:

Struggles & Strategies

Operational UpdatesChapters: 237Colonies: 12Florida 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: 17Collegiate members in Good Standing 5,842Collegiate members on Suspension 681Collegiate members (total) 6,523Percentage of total collegiate suspensions 10.4%Total amount of outstandingper capita tax owed to Sinfonia $93,555.00

Publication InformationThe Red & Black is published as an informational

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

The Red & Black is printed bimonthly, September toApril. Photographs and articles from your chapter arehighly encouraged for upcoming issues of The Red & Black.Please send the articles and photographs to editor@sinfonia.org.

Editor/Layout: Mark A. Wilson, Delta Eta ’03

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

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

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

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

Controller Mary J. Cariecarie@sinfonia.org Ext. 105

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

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

Shipping Clerk Sarah Todiscotodisco@sinfonia.org Ext. 106

Page 3

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.

(from“Conference Call Series,” page 1)for alumni, but included suggestions and guidelines for collegiate broth-ers to encourage alumni engagement with their local chapter. It alsohighlighted the new membership pins, which are a great way to honoralumni 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 tohelp guide your chapter to success? From reporting and documenta-tion, to structure and governance, this is a call that chapter officers willnot want to miss.

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

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

April 3rd (Sinfonia’s History, Symbols, andCeremonies):A wide variety of historical and modern symbolsand practices will be covered in this conferencecall. Any brother who is interested in the originsand meanings behind Sinfonia’s rich history ofwords, music, and symbols will want to be on-hand to absorb these fascinating facts.

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

The possibilities for topics as we move forward with this programare endless. We hope all interested brothers are able to attend or listento numerous calls. Collectively, this will increase the knowledge andpreparedness of every chapter and province, strengthening our brother-hood as a whole.

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

Phi Mu Alpha’s Musical Alliances and Partnerships

National Association forMusic 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.

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The Sinfonia Education and Retreat CenterMore beds means more brothers

can visit on retreats.

Full-sized classroom for retreats andeducational programs.

Proposed Building Plan

Handicap-accessible restrooms and showers.

Full-service kitchen.

Recreational lounge for brothers to relax.

Visit www.facebook.com/thelyrecrestfund for more!

News

From

Headquarters5Page

Membership Awards are now available at the headquar-ters. These awards represent 10-, 25-, and 50-year mile-stones for alumni, and are designed to encourage chapters toreconnect with their alumni. Due to the high volume ofrequests for the awards, the pins will only be distributed forfree twice a year, with the late fall and late spring care pack-ages. Chapters should plan around these dates in order toobtain pins to present them to alumni the following semes-ter. For more information, consult the Guide to Awards inthe resources section of our website, or contact Director ofPrograms Will Lambert at lambert@sinfonia.org.

Membership Awards

Two new province governors have been appointed,following the fall meeting of the National ExecutiveCommittee.

Brian C. Odom, Theta Lambda (Hardin-Simmons)’06, is the new Province Governor in Province 23.Brian has served as Collegiate Province Representativeand Chapter President.

Dr. Philip Autry, Mu Gamma (Angelo StateUniversity) ’99, is the new Province Governor forProvince 15. Autry is currently active with the ZetaRho Chapter at Fisk University, where he is FacultyAdvisor, and is also active with the Nashville AreaAlumni Association. He is Associate Professor of Pianoand Piano Pedagogy and Music Area Coordinator atFisk University, and a private piano instructor.

Province Governors

Leadership Institute 2013

The 2013 Leadership Institute is fastapproaching. The dates for this year’s event are June 27-30. Start to make yourplans now to attend, at what is sure to be aspectacular event.

Are you one of our nearly 20,000 Facebook fans?Or among the nearly 1,000 Twitter followers? Stayinvolved and up-to-date on the latest in Sinfonia Newsby becoming one! www.facebook.com/phimualphasin-fonia and @phimualpha

Social Media

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Gamma Eta Chapter Furman University • Greenville, South Carolina

When brought up in one of our meetings lastschool year, several brothers in the chapter jumped atthe chance to attend our National Convention inOrlando over the summer. The eight-hour trip fromSouth Carolina was a longone, but what our chaptermembers experienced atthe Convention morethan made up for it. Onecommon thread in all oftheir stories about theConvention was that themeeting of so manybrothers in music, a gath-ering of so many to

advance music in America, was one of the mostinspiring events in their careers as Sinfonians. Beingaround not only our national leaders, but brothersfrom all around the country gave the delegation from

Gamma Eta a new perspectiveon the scope of our commonideals and missions. The manyinformative sessions, talks, andspeeches at the conventionalso gave our brothers insightinto the way to properlyrevere and maintain the ritualsand customs we hold dear, aswell as new ways to make ourchapter more efficient.

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

On May 12 the chapters of Beta Psi of UCLAand Kappa Omicron of CSU Long Beach hosted thefirst Sinfonia Helps Music concert at Bret HartePrepatory Middle School in Los Angeles. The goal ofthis project was to raise funds and awareness for thisextremely influential and growing program that catersto at-risk youth, as music is widely recognized as oneof the most beneficial co-curricular activities in achild’s education. This free concert featured manybrothers of Beta Psi and Kappa Omicron in smallgroups and large ensembles, performing traditionalAmerican music, jazz, and Disney classics, as well as aperformance by the Bret Harte Concert Band. Themoney raised by our chapters through individual

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

We utilized our website, sinfoniahelpsmusic.org,to promote the concert and to collect donations tohelp support the school’s music programs. The instru-ments purchased by our chapters were presented toBret Harte at a special ceremony on August 28. Thebrothers of Beta Psi and Kappa Omicron hope to con-tinue this tradition of supporting local music depart-ments with an annual Sinfonia Helps Music concert,raising awareness in our communities so that theseprograms may continue to benefit children for genera-tions to come.

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Pi Eta Chapter Morgan State University • Baltimore, Maryland

We started this semester off with two mem-bership drives that were focused respectively onthe instrumentalists and vocalists of MorganState University. For the Morgan StateMarching Band, we surprised them with a pizzaparty directly after they had completed theirfirst week of band camp. For the Morgan StateChoir, we hosted a welcome back to school icecream social on the first day of classes.

A major vision for the chapter this year isto increase the interaction between all Greekorganizations on Morgan State’s campus. The

first event we had this year was an open micnight held in conjunction with Sigma GammaRho Sorority. The Pi Eta Chapter provided thelive band for this event and has since been hiredby many organizations on Morgan State’s cam-pus to provide live music for their events.

Lastly, the Pi Eta Chapter held a Labor Daycookout in September. We had brothers fromXi Eta (Morehouse College), Zeta Mu (SamHouston State University) and Zeta Iota(Howard University) all come into town for ourevent and share in this exalted experience.

Lambda Beta Chapter Susquehanna University • Selinsgrove, Penn.

Over the course of the past year, the chapterinducted a pledge class of twelve men. We raisednearly one thousand dollars during our Save theSound Benefit for the Music Department of theWest Perry High School, where many brothers ofour chapter have a personal connection to eitherthe school or the students. We took part in SUServes, a community service program run by ouruniversity. The brothers also mulched andhelped landscape a public park with baseball andsoccer fields, and did our regular cleaning of ahighway area that is about forty-five minutes

away from our fraternity house. We also took part in Greek Week, a week-

long competition among fraternities and sorori-ties in athletic and academic events. Phi MuAlpha finished in 3rd place overall, but stole theshow with an airband performance that receivedan incredible amount of positive reviews. Thebrothers are excited for another year together,where we look forward to a large pledge class,great memories, an even more incredible airbandroutine, and more community service.

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Beta Sigma Chapter University of Idaho • Moscow, Idaho

On September 3rd the chapter had an informationalmeeting for interested men. This year’s meeting had moreattendees than ever before and several others were unableto attend but still expressed interest. One week later thechapter held its ceremony for pinning, where 18 menbecame probationary members, by far the largest proba-tionary class in chapter history. This year’s probationary

class was one of the most diverse (in terms of instrumenta-tion and major) ever. This large probationary class willlead to a significant increase in the size of the chapter. TheBeta Sigma Chapter has worked hard in recent years toexpand recruiting outside of just the brass sections ofmarching band and this year it finally paid off. We are veryexcited about the potential of this group of men.

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 handin our initiation this past April. Although we haven’t beenactive for long, we have been very busy. This summer wedid multiple fundraisers at Red Robin to start getting our

name out in the public. Also, this fall semester we arehaving our first class of probationary members, which weare all very excited about. We’re looking forward to grow-ing as a chapter and becoming even more active in comingyears.

9Page

Beta Xi Chapter The Ohio State University • Columbus, Ohio

The very first game of the football season has already pro-vided a true moment of brotherhood, despite the fact that itwas with our opponents. The marching bands of The OhioState University and Miami University got the chance to sharea wonderful musical experience on the morning of September1st in OSU’s Skull session. The two bands got the chance toplay their show, allowing both groups to truly enjoy the hardwork and musicianship of the other. After the concert, thebrothers from both Beta Xi and Alpha Theta that were in the

respective bands got to mingle and meet each other, which wasa beneficial experience. During halftime, both bands were ableto watch each other’s performances, both of which were veryimpressive and enjoyable. Both chapters had the chance toreconvene once again during the third quarter and meet someof the brothers that were not there the first time. A sense ofunity was still able to be reached, even if our teams were fight-ing for the win. In the end, we are and always will beSinfonians.

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

Xi Epsilon Chapter Shepherd University • Shepherdstown, West Virginia

From fall 2011 to spring 2012, the Xi Epsilon chapter par-ticipated in many events. In Fall 2011, the chapter held aHaunted Mini-Golf course, a canned food drive, a musicale, aMills Music Mission, and attended Province 27’s SLAM. In

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

Beta Omicron Chapter Mansfield University • Mansfield, Pennsylvania

The past semester for the chapter has been a productiveone. With the initiation of spring 2012’s probationary class wenow consist of 22 active brothers. Some highlights of ouraccomplishments include participation in Relay for Life (lead-ing in the singing of the national anthem), participation in anall-brother opera chorus, in which the composer of the opera,Samuel Adler, attended. We also performed successful AMRsand MMMs along with participation in a benefit concert for

an Adopt-a-School service project. We also had successfulfundraisers such our Valentine’s Day fundraiser: Sing-in-Tux.

The chapter also had the privilege of sending four brothersto represent our chapter at the National Convention this pastsummer.

We hope to continue our hard work and efforts to theadvancement of music in America and continuing to strength-en the bonds of brotherhood. On and ever upward!

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Job Opening At Lyrecrest!

Have you ever considered spending a year working for theFraternity? Are you looking for an unique job after college? Wouldyou enjoy leading and facilitating groups of brothers from across thenation? Do you want a flexible and fun work experience that wouldapply to almost any future endeavor? This may be the opportunity youare looking for!

Job Title:Retreat Coordinator and Programs Associate

Responsibilities include:The Retreat Coordinator and Programs Associate shall be responsi-

ble for all chapter and province retreats and other weekend Fraternitygatherings at Lyrecrest. He will maintain the Fraternity’s colony pro-gram and perform membership records duties. He will serve as the pri-mary 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 Mi crosoft 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 tomeet 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

Term of employment:August 1, 2013 — July 31, 2014 (position turns over annually)

This position is ideal for a graduating brother with an outgoingpersonality who is looking to gain valuable work experience and isinterested in working at the national headquarters. The experience

gained through this position serves as a great starting point for anyyoung 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 valu-able new skill set and a truly one of a kind work experience. Theopportunities given to me for both personal and professional growthwere unparalleled in quality and value. You, just as I did, will experi-ence the Fraternity on a level never before imagined, gaining the“insider’s” view of a large, successful organization as well as meetingand interacting with the Brothers that keep this organization moving.

Past Retreat Coordinator and Programs Associate MatthewDowning, Beta Lambda (Muskingum) ’04 had this to say about his timeat Lyrecrest:

Rarely in life do you get the chance to know you’ve positively affected the lives of others. As the Retreat Coordinator and ProgramsAssociate, I was challenged and privileged to meet and work with over500 Sinfonians. Though my time of service to the National Fraternitywas relatively short, I know I accomplished some of my lifetime careergoals. I was extremely lucky to work for an organization I feel pas-sionate about helping to elevate others and work towards benefitingsociety through music. The memories and experiences I have gainedfrom my work at Phi Mu Alpha are truly irreplaceable.

To apply, please send resumé, cover letter, contact information forthree references, and a detailed history of Fraternity experience to:

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia FraternityNational Headquarters

Attn: Retreat Coordinator & Programs Associate Search10600 Old State Road

Evansville, IN 47711-1399

Searching for Next Year’s Retreat Coordinator and Programs Associate

Don’t Delay! Application Deadline is March 1!

Apply today!

Page 11

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 MarineCorps 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 yearsold 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 wholetime. 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 Isounded Taps… when I was done, I looked up at these big, tough bikers and they were pretty choked up, and the teenagers were wide-eyedand 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 HonorGuardsmen then stepped back and saluted that flag one final time while it was in the hands of the son. The tears were flowing, and therewas 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 over-heard as the little girl looked up at her mother and asked, “Mommy, was Papa a hero?” The mother just knelt down and hugged her daugh-ter 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 andObject of Phi Mu Alpha. It is intended to highlight groups or individuals that have lastingly contributed to society through theirmusical, personal, or philanthropic endeavors. At the 2012 National Convention, the National Citation was presented to OperationTaps and its founder, Tom Allen.

The objective of Operation Taps is “to promote Taps bugler volunteerism among the civilian brass playing community, and toencourage music organizations to proactively connect with their communities to pay tribute to America’s Military Heroes.” Too fewveterans are able to have Taps performed by a live bugler at their funeral, and Operation Taps helps to finds interested performers andconnect 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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