Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Encyclopedia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American
collegiate social fraternity
for men with a special interest in music. The fraternity is open to men "who, through a love for music, can assist in the fulfillment of [its] Object and ideals either by adopting music as a profession, or by working to advance the cause of music in America." Phi Mu Alpha has initiated more than 150,000 members, known as Sinfonians, and the fraternity currently has almost 6,000 active collegiate members in 234 collegiate chapters throughout the United States.
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia was founded as the Sinfonia Club at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts
on October 6, 1898, by Ossian Everett Mills
, bursar
of the conservatory. Exactly two years later, on October 6, 1900, a delegation of members from the Sinfonia Club visited the Broad Street Conservatory of Music
in Philadelphia
, Pennsylvania
, and a group of students there petitioned to form a chapter of the club, thus establishing the organization as a national fraternity. By 1901, two additional chapters had been formed and the 1st National Convention was held in Boston to establish a national constitution.
Phi Mu Alpha operates independently from any of the major governing councils for collegiate fraternities in the United States such as the North-American Interfraternity Conference
, though it is a member of other interfraternal organizations such as the Association of Fraternity Advisors
, the Fraternity Communications Association, and the National Interfraternity Music Council
. Since 1970, Phi Mu Alpha headquarters are located at Lyrecrest
, an estate on the northern outskirts of Evansville, Indiana
.
Membership in Phi Mu Alpha is divided into four classes: probationary, collegiate, alumni, and honorary. Probationary members are those who are participating in an educational program of between four and 12 weeks in length in preparation for initiation as full, active collegiate members. Collegiate members transfer to alumni membership after they graduate. Honorary membership can be bestowed under guidelines established by the National Constitution.
The fraternity has local, regional, and national levels of governance. The most fundamental local unit is the collegiate chapter chartered at a college or university. Phi Mu Alpha also charters local alumni associations, which are issued to groups of alumni members in a particular geographic area. Chapters and alumni associations are grouped into provinces. A National Executive Committee, elected by a National Assembly at each triennial National Convention, governs the national organization.
Phi Mu Alpha has several identifying symbols, including a membership badge (pin); the colors red, black, and gold; a coat of arms; a flag; and an official flower, the chrysanthemum
.
The Object was first adopted in its present form in 1901 as a part of the fraternity's first national constitution and, after undergoing several changes throughout the fraternity's history, was restored by the National Assembly at the 51st National Convention in 2003.
. Ossian Everett Mills
, bursar
of the conservatory, had been holding devotional meetings with a small group of male students since 1885. Mills was profoundly interested in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual development of the conservatory's students. Mills sought to encourage the personal development of the young men at the conservatory through wholesome social interaction among them. This led Mills to suggested that the "Old Boys" of the conservatory invite the "New Boys" to a "get acquainted" reception on September 22, 1898. Several of the men who attended the reception began to discuss the possibility of organizing a more permanent social club, and a meeting was planned for October 6, 1898, for that purpose.
The origin of the name "Sinfonia" is attributed to George W. Chadwick
, the director of the New England Conservatory at the time the Sinfonia Club was founded. Chadwick was elected as the second honorary member of the club after Ossian Mills, and he suggested the name "Sinfonia" after the name of a student organization he was a member of in Leipzig
, Germany
. Prior to 1947, the legal corporate name of the fraternity was Sinfonia Fraternity of America, though the Greek letters Phi, Mu, and Alpha had been associated with the fraternity since at least 1904. The delegates to the 29th National Convention in 1946 approved changing the corporate name to Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, which it remains today.
in Philadelphia
, Pennsylvania
, under the direction of Gilbert Raynolds Combs
. The traditional date given in fraternity resources for the founding of Beta Chapter at Broad Street Conservatory is October 6, 1900. However, while the petitioning letter submitted by the men from Philadelphia is dated October 6, a notation made by Ralph Howard Pendleton, secretary of Alpha Chapter at the New England Conservatory, at the bottom of the letter indicates that the petition was not approved until October 8. Phi Mu Alpha continued to grow and to maintain an emphasis on the development of high character among male musicians through the next two decades. Percy Jewett Burrell
, sixth Supreme President (1907–1914), was very influential during the fraternity's early years, both because of his long tenure in office and because of his extensive writing. Burrell wrote many articles calling for members to develop within themselves the noble virtues espoused by the fraternity's exoteric and esoteric teachings.
, the young men who returned from battle to re-enter the nation's universities through the benefits of the G.I. Bill were less interested in an organization devoted to upholding noble ideals—ideals that seemed naive given the men's war-time experiences—than they were in the practical matter of finding civilian employment. This, combined with the fact that many of Phi Mu Alpha's national leaders at the time were heavily involved in state and local music educator's professional organizations, led the fraternity to become increasingly concerned with the advancement of its members in the music profession (especially in music education) in addition to the advancement of music in general. The professional period of the fraternity's history culminated in 1970 when its leaders began marketing it as "The Professional Fraternity for Men in Music" and when a new statement of purpose was adopted that began, "The primary purpose of this Fraternity shall be to encourage and actively promote the highest standards of creativity, performance, education, and research in music in America."
, enacted on June 23, 1972, prohibits discrimination based on gender in educational programs receiving federal funding. This prohibition extends to professional societies for students enrolled at universities that receive federal funds for student financial aid or other programs. However, social organizations, such as social fraternities and sororities, are specifically exempted. Phi Mu Alpha's initial response to Title IX was to allow chapters, beginning in 1976, to initiate women on a case-by-case basis as universities began questioning Phi Mu Alpha's single sex membership policy. In 1983, the fraternity successfully petitioned for an exemption from Title IX from the U.S. Department of Education on the basis of its historical existence as a social organization, but some members felt that the fraternity should continue as a professional organization and fully embrace a coed membership policy. The issue came to a head at the 45th National Convention in 1985 when the fraternity's National Assembly voted to restore Phi Mu Alpha to its original status as a male-only social fraternity. Despite this action, the fraternity did not change its statement of purpose (now known as the Object) to reflect the change in status until 2003, and it remained a member of the Professional Fraternity Association
until 2007.
and advocacy
in support of the musical arts. The number of collegiate members and active chapters has steadily grown since 2000, and the fraternity's leaders have adopted a five-year strategic plan
which calls for an unprecedented level of member involvement in the development of national programs and services.
and Easter
to sing, play music, and give recitations. The activity was referred to as the "Flower Mission" because prior to going to the hospitals the participants would collect flowers from churches after the morning services and distribute them to the patients they visited. The Mills Music Mission was adopted as Phi Mu Alpha official national philanthropy in 2003. The focus of this project is rare among fraternity philanthropies since, instead of raising funds to support a selected charity, the fraternity uses the unique talents and interests of its members to personally interact with and lift the spirits of those in need.
It is not required that a candidate for probationary membership have an academic major
or minor
in music or be enrolled in a music course, though most chapters have traditionally had a majority of their members come from the music major ranks of their sheltering institutions.
Probationary members participate in a membership education program for between 4 and 12 weeks. During this program, probationary members learn basic information about the organization such as officer duties, rules, procedures, and traditions, and they are also instructed in the values and ideals of the fraternity. The purpose of the membership education program is to prepare probationary members to assume all of the duties and responsibilities of full membership in the fraternity.
Unlike most collegiate fraternities, the vast majority of chapters of Phi Mu Alpha do not provide communal housing for their members as a means to accomplish the goals of social development and character building.
Among these famous Sinfonians are famous composers such as Frank Ticheli, John Philip Sousa
and Clifton Williams
, television personalities Fred Rogers (of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood) and Andy Griffith
, jazz musicians Duke Ellington
, Count Basie
, Maynard Ferguson
, and Cannonball Adderley, rock musician Bo Diddley
, Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart
, philanthropists Andrew Carnegie
and George Eastman
, politicians including 1948 Presidential candidate Thomas Dewey
and New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia, folk singer and actor Burl Ives
, tenor Luciano Pavarotti
, and American Idol
winner Ruben Studdard
.
in Ithaca, New York
was chartered on January 28, 1901 and is the oldest continuously active chapter of the fraternity.
Chapters are formed by the granting of charters to petitioning groups at qualified institutions of higher education. The only basic qualification for an institution to house a chapter of Phi Mu Alpha is that it offer a four-year degree in music. Prior to receiving a charter, petitioning groups must seek recognition as a colony. After being recognized as a colony, the petitioning group must complete the fraternity's Colony Program, which consists of numerous activities designed to help the group organize itself as an effective and viable branch of the fraternity. Once chartered, collegiate chapters have the authority to conduct activities in the name of the fraternity for the purpose of furthering its Object.
The fraternity’s collegiate chapters participate in a broad range of activities emphasizing brotherhood, service, and music. In addition to purely social activities for the benefit of their members, chapters typically conduct activities such as:
At a minimum, chapters are required to annually sponsor at least one program devoted exclusively to the music of American composers and to celebrate Founder's Day (October 6) and Chapter Day (the chartering date of the chapter). Chapters are also encouraged to meet the requirements of the fraternity's Chapter Citations program, which recognizes chapters annually for achievement in the areas of Chapter Operations, Membership Development, Alumni Relations, Musical Achievement, Province Interaction, Special Projects, and Fraternal Tradition.
The structure and activities of the alumni associations are left almost entirely to their members. Unlike collegiate chapters which must adhere to the fraternity's General Regulations for Collegiate Chapters, alumni associations are free to choose their own governance structures, including what officers they have, how often they hold meetings, etc.
Each province is led by a Province Governor (PG) who is appointed by the National President and approved by the National Executive Committee. The PG acts as the representative of the National President in all matters pertaining to activities of the collegiate chapters, colonies, and alumni associations in his province. At his discretion, the National President may also appoint a Deputy Province Governor (DPG) for a province.
Each PG is responsible for organizing an annual Province Workshop for the collegiate chapters, colonies, and alumni associations in the province. The Province Workshop usually includes chapter officer training sessions; cooperative province projects; discussion of matters of national, province, and local concern; interaction and communication between chapters; and consideration of other business matters. Insofar as the collective chapters present at the Province Workshop can pass resolutions and conduct other business, the Province Workshop is a form of convention
, and each chapter in good standing within the province is entitled to five voting delegates. Colonies and alumni associations do not have voting rights at the Province Workshop.
The only item of business that must be transacted by the voting delegates at each Province Workshop is the election of collegiate members to the offices of Collegiate Province Representative (CPR) and Assistant Collegiate Province Representative (ACPR). The CPR and ACPR serve as representatives of the collegiate membership of their province to the national organization and provide support to the chapters in their province.
A province may choose to establish a province council, which at a minimum would consist of the PG, the CPR, and equal representation from each collegiate chapter in the province. A province council could also include other province officers and representation from any alumni associations in the province. Province councils organize themselves to plan activities and make decisions affecting the welfare of the province, membership education within each chapter, and chapter and alumni association interaction
). From 1920 through 1964, conventions were held biennially except that no convention was held in 1942 or in 1944 due to World War II
. Since 1964 national conventions have been held triennially.
National conventions traditionally include seminars on fraternal tradition and leadership, forums with candidates for national office, gala banquets, musical performances by Sinfonian ensembles, and numerous other social events. One of the most important functions of the convention is to facilitate business sessions in order to make changes to the fraternity's governing documents, set national policies, and elect national officers for the following triennium. The delegate body that makes these decisions at the national convention is known as the National Assembly, which consists of the members of the National Executive Committee, the PGs, and the CPRs.
The members of the NEC are the National President, the National Vice President, two committeemen-at-large, a National Collegiate Representative (NCR), the Chairman of the Province Governors' (PGs') Council, and the Chairman of the Collegiate Province Representatives' (CPRs') Council. Each of these officers holds office for three years except for the committeemen-at-large who hold staggered terms of six years each, one being elected every three years. The officers are elected by the National Assembly at each national convention, except that the PG's Council and the CPR's Council elect their own chairmen in caucus meetings at the national convention.
The CPRs' Council meets from December 27–31 of each year, and the PGs' Council meets during the summer of each non-convention year. These meetings are referred to as convocations and are usually held at Lyrecrest. At the convocations, the chairmen conduct training sessions for the members of their respective councils, facilitate discussions about topics of concern regarding the fraternity, and chair business sessions for the purpose of adopting formal resolutions recommending actions to the NEC. In convention years, members of the PG's Council arrive at the national convention site a day early for a brief meeting to prepare for their duties as members of the National Assembly but a full convocation is not held.
The COS is responsible for all aspects of the fraternity's Colony Program, including establishing the guidelines of the program, approving petitioning groups for colony status, and approving applications for chapter installation or reactivation that are submitted by colonies. For good cause, the COS may dissolve a colony at any time.
The COS also oversees the operational well-being of chapters and alumni associations. If a chapter or alumni association is not meeting certain standards, the COS may take corrective actions. Should such actions fail, the COS may place a chapter or alumni association on inactive status.
Additionally, the COS serves as the fraternity's national judiciary. It enforces national policies, especially the fraternity's Risk Management Policies, by conducting investigations into alleged violations and imposing disciplinary actions on individual members, chapters, or alumni associations as it deems appropriate. The COS may also discipline individual members, chapters, and alumni associations for general misconduct that is harmful to the best interests or good name of the fraternity. All disciplinary actions taken by the COS are appealable to the NEC.
Members of the COS are appointed for three-year terms by the National President subject to ratification by the NEC. The COS must include in its membership at least one Province Governor and at least one collegiate member, though these statuses must only be held at the time of appointment and not for the entire term. A member of the NEC is also appointed to serve as a non-voting member of the COS.
Phi Mu Alpha is headquartered in a converted house located at 10600 Old State Road in Evansville, Indiana
known as Lyrecrest. The headquarters contains the working offices of the fraternity's national staff, and an adjacent building known as Lyrecrest North contains the fraternity's national archives. The national headquarters property also includes the Robert H. Bray Cottage, a lodge-style building with approximately 22 beds used for housing for retreats and national committee meetings.
The national staff is led by Jeremy M. Evans, Chief Operating Officer. The other full-time staff members are
Because the Retreat Coordinator and Programs Associate's duties include leading retreats at the Lyrecrest facility on many weekends out of the year and also providing logistical support to meetings of national committees and councils, he is housed by the fraternity on-site at Lyrecrest North.
Jon Rader and Elizabeth Rader serve as part-time staff members. Jon is the Shipping Clerk, and Elizabeth is an Administrative Assistant.
The essential design of Phi Mu Alpha's official membership pin was adopted at the 1st National Convention in 1901. The design consisted of an upward-pointing equilateral triangle with a gold old-English S on a field of black enamel, surrounded by twelve pearls and six rubies. The pattern of the jeweling was three pearls at each tip, with two rubies separated by one pearl on each side. The design was modified slightly in 1910 by reducing the size of the old-English S to allow room for the Greek letters Φ, Μ, and Α, with Φ in the top corner, Μ in the lower left corner, and Α in the lower right corner. This design remains in use today, though garnets are used instead of rubies. The official membership pin is only worn by initiated members of the fraternity (collegiate, alumni, or honorary).
Probationary members are required to wear a special probationary membership pin "at all reasonable times". The design of the probationary membership pin is an upward-pointing equilateral triangle of black enamel surrounded by a border of red enamel, with a thin gold border separating the red and black enamel and another thin gold border around the outside of the pin surrounding the red enamel.
, adopted at the 1st National Convention in 1901.
Phi Mu Alpha’s coat of arms
was adopted at the 10th National Convention in 1910. The escutcheon (shield) consists of a red saltire
(or Saint Andrew’s Cross) on a field of gold. Centered is a symbol similar to the fraternity’s membership pin, though differing in that instead of 7 red and white circles/stones along each side of the triangle, there are 13 monochromatic circles along each side. The saltire divides the escutcheon into four sections. In the dexter section (bearer's right or viewer's left) are clasped hands, in the sinister section (bearer's left or viewer's right) are panpipes, and in the base section (bottom) is a lamp. The chief section (top) contains no charge
but the point of the centered triangular symbol crosses into it.
Two fanfare trumpets crossing behind the escutcheon with the bells at the top and mouthpieces at the bottom serve as supporters. Above the escutcheon is decorative mantling
and a lyre as the crest
. Below is a scroll divided into three sections by the leadpipe
s of the fanfare trumpets. In the center section is the word Sinfonia, and the left and right sections display the numbers 18 and 98, respectively, representing the founding year of the fraternity: 1898.
to the lower fly
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
collegiate social fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
for men with a special interest in music. The fraternity is open to men "who, through a love for music, can assist in the fulfillment of [its] Object and ideals either by adopting music as a profession, or by working to advance the cause of music in America." Phi Mu Alpha has initiated more than 150,000 members, known as Sinfonians, and the fraternity currently has almost 6,000 active collegiate members in 234 collegiate chapters throughout the United States.
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia was founded as the Sinfonia Club at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
on October 6, 1898, by Ossian Everett Mills
Ossian Everett Mills
Ossian Everett Mills was the founder of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts on October 6, 1898.-Life:...
, bursar
Bursar
A bursar is a senior professional financial administrator in a school or university.Billing of student tuition accounts are the responsibility of the Office of the Bursar. This involves sending bills and making payment plans with the ultimate goal of getting the student accounts paid off...
of the conservatory. Exactly two years later, on October 6, 1900, a delegation of members from the Sinfonia Club visited the Broad Street Conservatory of Music
Combs College of Music
Combs College of Music was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1885 as Combs Broad Street Conservatory of Music by Gilbert Raynolds Combs, celebrated pianist,organist and composer....
in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and a group of students there petitioned to form a chapter of the club, thus establishing the organization as a national fraternity. By 1901, two additional chapters had been formed and the 1st National Convention was held in Boston to establish a national constitution.
Phi Mu Alpha operates independently from any of the major governing councils for collegiate fraternities in the United States such as the North-American Interfraternity Conference
North-American Interfraternity Conference
The North-American Interfraternity Conference , is an association of collegiate men's fraternities that was formally organized in 1910, although it began on November 27, 1909. The power of the organization rests in a House of Delegates where each member fraternity is represented by a single delegate...
, though it is a member of other interfraternal organizations such as the Association of Fraternity Advisors
Association of Fraternity Advisors
The Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors was founded in 1976 to support the professionals involved with advancing fraternity and sorority life as well as promote the fraternity and sorority experience.-Membership:...
, the Fraternity Communications Association, and the National Interfraternity Music Council
National Interfraternity Music Council
The National Interfraternity Music Council is composed of the national or international presidents of seven music fraternities and meets annually to discuss matters of mutual interest.-Member Organizations:...
. Since 1970, Phi Mu Alpha headquarters are located at Lyrecrest
Lyrecrest
Lyrecrest is the national headquarters facility of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, located on the northern outskirts of Evansville, Indiana. The facility’s address is 10600 Old State Road, which coincidentally corresponds to October 6, 1900, on which date the Fraternity became a national...
, an estate on the northern outskirts of Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
.
Membership in Phi Mu Alpha is divided into four classes: probationary, collegiate, alumni, and honorary. Probationary members are those who are participating in an educational program of between four and 12 weeks in length in preparation for initiation as full, active collegiate members. Collegiate members transfer to alumni membership after they graduate. Honorary membership can be bestowed under guidelines established by the National Constitution.
The fraternity has local, regional, and national levels of governance. The most fundamental local unit is the collegiate chapter chartered at a college or university. Phi Mu Alpha also charters local alumni associations, which are issued to groups of alumni members in a particular geographic area. Chapters and alumni associations are grouped into provinces. A National Executive Committee, elected by a National Assembly at each triennial National Convention, governs the national organization.
Phi Mu Alpha has several identifying symbols, including a membership badge (pin); the colors red, black, and gold; a coat of arms; a flag; and an official flower, the chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus constituting approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which is native to Asia and northeastern Europe.-Etymology:...
.
Object
The mission statement of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, known as the Object, reads as follows:The Object was first adopted in its present form in 1901 as a part of the fraternity's first national constitution and, after undergoing several changes throughout the fraternity's history, was restored by the National Assembly at the 51st National Convention in 2003.
Founding
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia was founded as the Sinfonia Club at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MassachusettsBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Ossian Everett Mills
Ossian Everett Mills
Ossian Everett Mills was the founder of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts on October 6, 1898.-Life:...
, bursar
Bursar
A bursar is a senior professional financial administrator in a school or university.Billing of student tuition accounts are the responsibility of the Office of the Bursar. This involves sending bills and making payment plans with the ultimate goal of getting the student accounts paid off...
of the conservatory, had been holding devotional meetings with a small group of male students since 1885. Mills was profoundly interested in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual development of the conservatory's students. Mills sought to encourage the personal development of the young men at the conservatory through wholesome social interaction among them. This led Mills to suggested that the "Old Boys" of the conservatory invite the "New Boys" to a "get acquainted" reception on September 22, 1898. Several of the men who attended the reception began to discuss the possibility of organizing a more permanent social club, and a meeting was planned for October 6, 1898, for that purpose.
The origin of the name "Sinfonia" is attributed to George W. Chadwick
George Whitefield Chadwick
George Whitefield Chadwick was an American composer. Along with Horatio Parker, Amy Beach, Arthur Foote, and Edward MacDowell, he was a representative composer of what can be called the New England School of American composers of the late 19th century—the generation before Charles Ives...
, the director of the New England Conservatory at the time the Sinfonia Club was founded. Chadwick was elected as the second honorary member of the club after Ossian Mills, and he suggested the name "Sinfonia" after the name of a student organization he was a member of in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Prior to 1947, the legal corporate name of the fraternity was Sinfonia Fraternity of America, though the Greek letters Phi, Mu, and Alpha had been associated with the fraternity since at least 1904. The delegates to the 29th National Convention in 1946 approved changing the corporate name to Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, which it remains today.
Expansion
The Sinfonia Club became a national fraternity in 1900 with the admission of a group of men at the Broad Street Conservatory of MusicCombs College of Music
Combs College of Music was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1885 as Combs Broad Street Conservatory of Music by Gilbert Raynolds Combs, celebrated pianist,organist and composer....
in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, under the direction of Gilbert Raynolds Combs
Gilbert Raynolds Combs
Gilbert Raynolds Combs was an American pianist, organist, and player of stringed instruments; a composer of music for orchestra, piano, voice, and violin; a teacher; and an orchestral and chorus conductor...
. The traditional date given in fraternity resources for the founding of Beta Chapter at Broad Street Conservatory is October 6, 1900. However, while the petitioning letter submitted by the men from Philadelphia is dated October 6, a notation made by Ralph Howard Pendleton, secretary of Alpha Chapter at the New England Conservatory, at the bottom of the letter indicates that the petition was not approved until October 8. Phi Mu Alpha continued to grow and to maintain an emphasis on the development of high character among male musicians through the next two decades. Percy Jewett Burrell
Percy Jewett Burrell
Percy Jewett Burrell was an author and director of historical and civic pageants, or dramas, and was known for his skills in oratory and elocution, . He also taught public speaking and drama, and was known as a "public reciter"...
, sixth Supreme President (1907–1914), was very influential during the fraternity's early years, both because of his long tenure in office and because of his extensive writing. Burrell wrote many articles calling for members to develop within themselves the noble virtues espoused by the fraternity's exoteric and esoteric teachings.
The professional period
As the fraternity continued to grow in both the number of members and chapters, so did its emphasis on the advancement of music. In 1927, the original Object statement was altered so that "to advance the cause of music in America" was put in a place of prominence. After the American victory in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the young men who returned from battle to re-enter the nation's universities through the benefits of the G.I. Bill were less interested in an organization devoted to upholding noble ideals—ideals that seemed naive given the men's war-time experiences—than they were in the practical matter of finding civilian employment. This, combined with the fact that many of Phi Mu Alpha's national leaders at the time were heavily involved in state and local music educator's professional organizations, led the fraternity to become increasingly concerned with the advancement of its members in the music profession (especially in music education) in addition to the advancement of music in general. The professional period of the fraternity's history culminated in 1970 when its leaders began marketing it as "The Professional Fraternity for Men in Music" and when a new statement of purpose was adopted that began, "The primary purpose of this Fraternity shall be to encourage and actively promote the highest standards of creativity, performance, education, and research in music in America."
Title IX and coed membership
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
, enacted on June 23, 1972, prohibits discrimination based on gender in educational programs receiving federal funding. This prohibition extends to professional societies for students enrolled at universities that receive federal funds for student financial aid or other programs. However, social organizations, such as social fraternities and sororities, are specifically exempted. Phi Mu Alpha's initial response to Title IX was to allow chapters, beginning in 1976, to initiate women on a case-by-case basis as universities began questioning Phi Mu Alpha's single sex membership policy. In 1983, the fraternity successfully petitioned for an exemption from Title IX from the U.S. Department of Education on the basis of its historical existence as a social organization, but some members felt that the fraternity should continue as a professional organization and fully embrace a coed membership policy. The issue came to a head at the 45th National Convention in 1985 when the fraternity's National Assembly voted to restore Phi Mu Alpha to its original status as a male-only social fraternity. Despite this action, the fraternity did not change its statement of purpose (now known as the Object) to reflect the change in status until 2003, and it remained a member of the Professional Fraternity Association
Professional Fraternity Association
The Professional Fraternity Association is an association of national, collegiate, professional fraternities and sororities that was formed 1978. Since PFA groups are discipline-specific, members join while pursuing graduate degrees as well as undergraduate degrees...
until 2007.
Into the 21st century
Since its centennial in 1998, Phi Mu Alpha has re-embraced the vision of its founders as an organization devoted primarily to the character development of its members. The aim of the fraternity is to build "musicianly men" into "manly musicians" who will go out into the world and advance the cause of music in their individual fields of influence, whether that be as music professionals, through other professions, or through philanthropyPhilanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
and advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
in support of the musical arts. The number of collegiate members and active chapters has steadily grown since 2000, and the fraternity's leaders have adopted a five-year strategic plan
Strategic planning
Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy. In order to determine the direction of the organization, it is necessary to understand its current position and the possible avenues...
which calls for an unprecedented level of member involvement in the development of national programs and services.
National philanthropy
Phi Mu Alpha’s national philanthropy is the Ossian Everett Mills Music Mission. Created in 1998, the Mills Music Mission is a modern-day revival of a practice originated by the fraternity’s founder, Ossian Everett Mills, in the late 19th century. Mills was organizer of a "Flower Mission" in Boston in which musicians and assistants would go to Boston's hospitals on ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
to sing, play music, and give recitations. The activity was referred to as the "Flower Mission" because prior to going to the hospitals the participants would collect flowers from churches after the morning services and distribute them to the patients they visited. The Mills Music Mission was adopted as Phi Mu Alpha official national philanthropy in 2003. The focus of this project is rare among fraternity philanthropies since, instead of raising funds to support a selected charity, the fraternity uses the unique talents and interests of its members to personally interact with and lift the spirits of those in need.
Probationary
Probationary membership is a prerequisite for initiation as a collegiate member. A man becomes a probationary member by accepting an invitation to membership extended to him by a collegiate chapter and by participating in the fraternity's official Ceremony for Pledging. A chapter may pledge a man as a probationary member if he meets the following requirements:- He is at least 18 years of age.
- He is a student, faculty member, or staff member at the chapter's sheltering institution (i.e., the university or college at which the chapter is chartered).
- If he is a student, he has met the academic standards for successful continuation as a student in good standing as defined by the sheltering institution.
- He is able and willing, through a love of music, to assist in the fulfillment of the fraternity's Object and ideals either by adopting music as a profession or by working to advance the cause of music in America.
- He is not a member of any other secret national fraternal society in music, namely Delta OmicronDelta OmicronDelta Omicron is a co-ed international professional music honors fraternity whose mission is to promote and support excellence in music and musicianship.-History:...
or Mu Phi EpsilonMu Phi EpsilonMu Phi Epsilon is a co-ed international professional music fraternity and honor society. It boasts over 75,000 members in 128 collegiate chapters and 74 alumni chapters in the US and abroad.-History:...
.
It is not required that a candidate for probationary membership have an academic major
Academic major
In the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
or minor
Academic minor
An academic minor is a college or university student's declared secondary field of study or specialization during his or her undergraduate studies. As with an academic major, the college or university in question lays out a framework of required classes or class types a student must complete to...
in music or be enrolled in a music course, though most chapters have traditionally had a majority of their members come from the music major ranks of their sheltering institutions.
Probationary members participate in a membership education program for between 4 and 12 weeks. During this program, probationary members learn basic information about the organization such as officer duties, rules, procedures, and traditions, and they are also instructed in the values and ideals of the fraternity. The purpose of the membership education program is to prepare probationary members to assume all of the duties and responsibilities of full membership in the fraternity.
Collegiate
Probationary members who successfully complete the membership education program, who pay the prescribed initiation fee, and who are approved by a vote of the chapter are eligible to become collegiate members through participation in the fraternity's Initiation Ritual. Collegiate members hold voting rights in their respective chapters and may hold fraternity offices specifically reserved for collegiate member. They are also eligible for the many financial assistance programs of the Sinfonia Educational Foundation, such as scholarships, study abroad grants, and travel reimbursement grants for attendance at national fraternity events with educational components. Collegiate members are required to pay national per capita taxes (i.e., dues) to the fraternity, to pay local dues assessed by the chapter, and to attend all chapter meetings and activities.Unlike most collegiate fraternities, the vast majority of chapters of Phi Mu Alpha do not provide communal housing for their members as a means to accomplish the goals of social development and character building.
Alumni
Upon leaving the chapter's sheltering institution (e.g., through graduation, transfer, etc.), collegiate members may transfer to alumni membership. Faculty and staff members of the sheltering institution who are initiated as collegiate members may transfer to alumni membership at any time. Alumni members retain all the rights and privileges of membership in the fraternity except for voting rights in a collegiate chapter and eligibility to hold offices specifically reserved for collegiate members. Alumni members are under no further financial obligation to the fraternity or to any chapter insofar as they remain members of the fraternity in good standing regardless of financial contributions. However, alumni members are encouraged to make regular contributions to the Sinfonia Educational Foundation, and if an alumni member chooses to join an alumni association he may assume an obligation to pay dues to the association.Honorary
Chapters may initiate men into honorary membership. Non-Sinfonian candidates must be distinguished male musicians, music educators, or patrons of music, and upon initiation they are considered honorary members of both the chapter and the fraternity. A Sinfonian may be initiated as an honorary member of a chapter for long-standing support and outstanding contributions. The National Executive Committee may initiate men as national honorary members into the honorary Alpha Alpha Chapter. While there is a significant level of prestige that accompanies honorary membership, this class is equivalent to alumni membership with regard to the rights and obligations of membership. It is not possible to confer honorary membership posthumously.Term of membership
Probationary membership may be terminated by the probationary member through resignation or by the chapter through a retention vote in which the probationary member fails to receive the support of at least three-fourths of the chapter's members. Once initiated, membership in the fraternity is for life. An initiated member may not resign his membership in the fraternity, though he may be suspended or expelled from membership for misconduct. Transfer between collegiate, alumni, and honorary membership is possible as provided for in the fraternity's governing documents.Notable members
Over a century old, Phi Mu Alpha has admitted men from all walks of life, some of whom have achieved notability in fields such as music, television, film, science, government, and literature.Among these famous Sinfonians are famous composers such as Frank Ticheli, John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
and Clifton Williams
Clifton Williams (composer)
James Clifton Williams Jr. was born in Traskwood, Arkansas, United States. He began playing French horn, piano, and mellophone early on and played in the band at Little Rock High School...
, television personalities Fred Rogers (of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood) and Andy Griffith
Andy Griffith
Andy Samuel Griffith is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's epic film A Face in the Crowd before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead...
, jazz musicians Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
, Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
, and Cannonball Adderley, rock musician Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley
Ellas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
, Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart
Keith Lockhart
For the baseball player, see Keith Lockhart Keith Lockhart , to Newton Frederick and Marilyn Jean Woodyard Lockhart, is an American orchestral conductor....
, philanthropists Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
and George Eastman
George Eastman
George Eastman was an American innovator and entrepreneur who founded the Eastman Kodak Company and invented roll film, helping to bring photography to the mainstream...
, politicians including 1948 Presidential candidate Thomas Dewey
Thomas Dewey
Thomas Edmund Dewey was the 47th Governor of New York . In 1944 and 1948, he was the Republican candidate for President, but lost both times. He led the liberal faction of the Republican Party, in which he fought conservative Ohio Senator Robert A. Taft...
and New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia, folk singer and actor Burl Ives
Burl Ives
Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice .....
, tenor Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti
right|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
, and American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
winner Ruben Studdard
Ruben Studdard
Christopher Theodore Ruben Studdard , best known as Ruben Studdard, is an American R&B, pop, and gospel singer. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of American Idol...
.
Collegiate chapters
Phi Mu Alpha has charted 440 collegiate chapters at 438 colleges and universities across the United States in its history, of which 234 are currently active. Alpha Chapter at the founding New England Conservatory was active from 1898 to 1977. It was reactivated in 1991 but subsequently became inactive again in 1995 and remains so today. Delta Chapter at Ithaca CollegeIthaca College
Ithaca College is a private college located on the South Hill of Ithaca, New York. The school was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music. The college has a strong liberal arts core, but also offers several pre-professional programs and some graduate programs. The college is...
in Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
was chartered on January 28, 1901 and is the oldest continuously active chapter of the fraternity.
Chapters are formed by the granting of charters to petitioning groups at qualified institutions of higher education. The only basic qualification for an institution to house a chapter of Phi Mu Alpha is that it offer a four-year degree in music. Prior to receiving a charter, petitioning groups must seek recognition as a colony. After being recognized as a colony, the petitioning group must complete the fraternity's Colony Program, which consists of numerous activities designed to help the group organize itself as an effective and viable branch of the fraternity. Once chartered, collegiate chapters have the authority to conduct activities in the name of the fraternity for the purpose of furthering its Object.
The fraternity’s collegiate chapters participate in a broad range of activities emphasizing brotherhood, service, and music. In addition to purely social activities for the benefit of their members, chapters typically conduct activities such as:
- taking music into the community through the Mills Music Mission.
- sponsoring concerts of American music.
- sponsoring jazz and choral festivals.
- sponsoring all-campus sings and Broadway-style reviews.
- organizing members into performing ensembles ranging from big bands to barbershop quartets.
- commissioning new musical works.
- bringing prominent music performers and cliniciansClinic (music)A musical clinic is an informal meeting with a guest musician, where a small-to-medium sized audience questions the musician's styles and techniques and also how to improve their own skill. The musician might perform an entire piece, or demonstrate certain techniques for the audience to observe.The...
to their campuses.
At a minimum, chapters are required to annually sponsor at least one program devoted exclusively to the music of American composers and to celebrate Founder's Day (October 6) and Chapter Day (the chartering date of the chapter). Chapters are also encouraged to meet the requirements of the fraternity's Chapter Citations program, which recognizes chapters annually for achievement in the areas of Chapter Operations, Membership Development, Alumni Relations, Musical Achievement, Province Interaction, Special Projects, and Fraternal Tradition.
Alumni associations
Membership in Phi Mu Alpha is for life. While the core values of the fraternity are taught during probationary and collegiate membership, Sinfonians are expected to live out those values throughout their lives in support of the fraternity's Object. In order to organize its alumni for that purpose, Phi Mu Alpha charters alumni associations. There are currently 19 active alumni associations scattered throughout the United States. As stated in the fraternity's National Constitution, Alumni associations may elect to membership any alumni or honorary member of the fraternity in good standing. Membership in an alumni association is voluntary and is not required for an alumnus to remain a member of the fraternity in good standing. Alumni associations cannot initiate men into the fraternity.The structure and activities of the alumni associations are left almost entirely to their members. Unlike collegiate chapters which must adhere to the fraternity's General Regulations for Collegiate Chapters, alumni associations are free to choose their own governance structures, including what officers they have, how often they hold meetings, etc.
Regional organization
From 1922 to 1948, chapters of Phi Mu Alpha were grouped into regional units called districts that were assigned geographically descriptive names such as "Southern District" and "Northeastern District." Starting in 1949, the districts were replaced by provinces, each of which was given a numerical designation. Since that time, new provinces have been formed by the merging and splitting of former provinces, with province numbers being issued in chronological order. There are currently 38 active provinces, yet the highest-numbered province is Province 40. Province 31, which is made up of the states of Wyoming and Utah, has no active collegiate chapters or alumni associations and is therefore considered inactive. Province 10 was vacated in 1990 and its remaining chapter assigned to Province 7 so that there no longer exists a geographical region with the designation "Province 10".Each province is led by a Province Governor (PG) who is appointed by the National President and approved by the National Executive Committee. The PG acts as the representative of the National President in all matters pertaining to activities of the collegiate chapters, colonies, and alumni associations in his province. At his discretion, the National President may also appoint a Deputy Province Governor (DPG) for a province.
Each PG is responsible for organizing an annual Province Workshop for the collegiate chapters, colonies, and alumni associations in the province. The Province Workshop usually includes chapter officer training sessions; cooperative province projects; discussion of matters of national, province, and local concern; interaction and communication between chapters; and consideration of other business matters. Insofar as the collective chapters present at the Province Workshop can pass resolutions and conduct other business, the Province Workshop is a form of convention
Convention (meeting)
A convention, in the sense of a meeting, is a gathering of individuals who meet at an arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon industry, profession, and fandom...
, and each chapter in good standing within the province is entitled to five voting delegates. Colonies and alumni associations do not have voting rights at the Province Workshop.
The only item of business that must be transacted by the voting delegates at each Province Workshop is the election of collegiate members to the offices of Collegiate Province Representative (CPR) and Assistant Collegiate Province Representative (ACPR). The CPR and ACPR serve as representatives of the collegiate membership of their province to the national organization and provide support to the chapters in their province.
A province may choose to establish a province council, which at a minimum would consist of the PG, the CPR, and equal representation from each collegiate chapter in the province. A province council could also include other province officers and representation from any alumni associations in the province. Province councils organize themselves to plan activities and make decisions affecting the welfare of the province, membership education within each chapter, and chapter and alumni association interaction
National conventions and the National Assembly
The first national convention of Phi Mu Alpha was held April 16–20, 1901, during which the fraternity was officially founded as a national organization and its first national constitution was adopted. From 1901 through 1920, conventions were held annually except in 1906 (scheduled but not held), and 1917-1918 (due to World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
). From 1920 through 1964, conventions were held biennially except that no convention was held in 1942 or in 1944 due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Since 1964 national conventions have been held triennially.
National conventions traditionally include seminars on fraternal tradition and leadership, forums with candidates for national office, gala banquets, musical performances by Sinfonian ensembles, and numerous other social events. One of the most important functions of the convention is to facilitate business sessions in order to make changes to the fraternity's governing documents, set national policies, and elect national officers for the following triennium. The delegate body that makes these decisions at the national convention is known as the National Assembly, which consists of the members of the National Executive Committee, the PGs, and the CPRs.
| Convention | City | Date(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Boston, Massachusetts | April 16–20, 1901 |
| 2nd | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,... |
April 21–23, 1902 |
| 3rd | Ithaca, New York Ithaca, New York The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area... |
May 18, 1903 |
| 4th | Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010... |
May 18, 1904 |
| 5th | Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
May 9–10, 1905 |
| 6th | Syracuse, New York Syracuse, New York Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603... |
May, 1906 (scheduled but not held) |
| 7th | Boston, Massachusetts | May 16, 1907 |
| 8th | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,... |
May 7–9, 1908 |
| 9th | Syracuse, New York Syracuse, New York Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603... |
April 15–17, 1909 |
| 10th | Ithaca, New York Ithaca, New York The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area... |
May 10–12, 1910 |
| 11th | Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010... |
June 22–24, 1911 |
| 12th | Boston, Massachusetts | May 29–31, 1912 |
| 13th | Chicago, Illinois | December 29–31, 1913 |
| 14th | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,... |
November 30-December 2, 1914 |
| 15th | Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
December 28–30, 1915 |
| 16th | Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
December 28–30, 1916 |
| 17th | Evanston, Illinois Evanston, Illinois Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan... |
May 29–30, 1919 |
| 18th | Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010... |
December 21–23, 1920 |
| 19th | Chicago, Illinois | December 29–30, 1922 |
| 20th | Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379.... |
December 27–29, 1924 |
| 21st | Rochester, New York Rochester, New York Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City... |
December 29–31, 1926 |
| 22nd | Evanston, Illinois Evanston, Illinois Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan... |
December 28–29, 1928 |
| 23rd | St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St... |
December 29–31, 1930 |
| 24th | Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... |
December 28–30, 1932 |
| 25th | Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the... |
December 26–27, 1934 |
| 26th | Chicago, Illinois | December 30–31, 1936 |
| 27th | Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... |
December 27–28, 1938 |
| 28th | Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border... |
December 29–30, 1940 |
| 29th | Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010... |
December 27–29, 1946 |
| 30th | Chicago, Illinois | December 28–30, 1948 |
| 31st | Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
July 7–9, 1950 |
| 32nd | Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
July 10–13, 1952 |
| 33rd | Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
July 8–10, 1954 |
| 34th | Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
July 12–14, 1956 |
| 35th | Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
July 10–12, 1958 |
| 36th | Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
July 7–9, 1960 |
| 37th | Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
July 19–21, 1962 |
| 38th | St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St... |
July 16–18, 1964 |
| 39th | Chicago, Illinois | June 28–30, 1967 |
| 40th | Interlochen, Michigan Interlochen, Michigan Interlochen is a town in Northwest Lower Michigan. The town is noted for the internationally renowned Interlochen Center for the Arts.-History:... |
July 10–12, 1970 |
| 41st | Interlochen, Michigan Interlochen, Michigan Interlochen is a town in Northwest Lower Michigan. The town is noted for the internationally renowned Interlochen Center for the Arts.-History:... |
July 13–16, 1973 |
| 42nd | Evansville, Indiana Evansville, Indiana Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the... |
July 9–11, 1976 |
| 43rd | Evansville, Indiana Evansville, Indiana Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the... |
July 13–15, 1979 |
| 44th | Urbana, Illinois Urbana, Illinois Urbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area.... |
July 15–18, 1982 |
| 45th | Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in... |
August 7–11, 1985 |
| 46th | Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties... |
August 10–14, 1988 |
| 47th | New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population... |
August 7–11, 1991 |
| 48th | St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St... |
August 10–14, 1994 |
| 49th | Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
July 23–27, 1997 |
| 50th | Dallas, Texas Dallas, Texas Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States... |
August 9–13, 2000 |
| 51st | Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... |
July 15–20, 2003 |
| 52nd | Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border... |
July 19–23, 2006 |
| 53rd | Orlando, Florida Orlando, Florida Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States... |
July 15–19, 2009 |
| 54th | Orlando, Florida Orlando, Florida Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States... |
July 11–15, 2012 |
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee (NEC) is Phi Mu Alpha's primary governing body. Its powers and duties include:- overseeing the affairs of the fraternity
- adopting the annual operating budget and authorizing expenditures in accordance with or exceeding that budget
- providing for an independent audit of the fraternity's financial records at least once every three years
- arranging for the national conventions
- reporting proposed amendments to the fraternity's governing documents to the National Assembly or the National Council
- serving as the fraternity's appellate body for actions taken by other national committees, Province Governors, and chapters
- filling vacancies in NEC positions however created and, if necessary, removing members of the NEC from office
The members of the NEC are the National President, the National Vice President, two committeemen-at-large, a National Collegiate Representative (NCR), the Chairman of the Province Governors' (PGs') Council, and the Chairman of the Collegiate Province Representatives' (CPRs') Council. Each of these officers holds office for three years except for the committeemen-at-large who hold staggered terms of six years each, one being elected every three years. The officers are elected by the National Assembly at each national convention, except that the PG's Council and the CPR's Council elect their own chairmen in caucus meetings at the national convention.
| Name | Initiating chapter, year | Years in office |
|---|---|---|
| Ossian Everett Mills Ossian Everett Mills Ossian Everett Mills was the founder of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts on October 6, 1898.-Life:... |
Alpha, 1898 | 1901–1902 |
| Gilbert Raynolds Combs Gilbert Raynolds Combs Gilbert Raynolds Combs was an American pianist, organist, and player of stringed instruments; a composer of music for orchestra, piano, voice, and violin; a teacher; and an orchestral and chorus conductor... |
Beta, 1900 | 1902–1903 |
| George C. Williams | Delta, 1903 | 1903–1904 |
| Ossian Everett Mills Ossian Everett Mills Ossian Everett Mills was the founder of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts on October 6, 1898.-Life:... |
Alpha, 1898 | 1904–1905 |
| Winthrop S. Sterling | Eta, 1901 | 1905–1907 |
| Percy Jewett Burrell Percy Jewett Burrell Percy Jewett Burrell was an author and director of historical and civic pageants, or dramas, and was known for his skills in oratory and elocution, . He also taught public speaking and drama, and was known as a "public reciter"... |
Alpha, 1899 | 1907–1914 |
| Gilbert Raynolds Combs Gilbert Raynolds Combs Gilbert Raynolds Combs was an American pianist, organist, and player of stringed instruments; a composer of music for orchestra, piano, voice, and violin; a teacher; and an orchestral and chorus conductor... |
Beta, 1900 | 1914–1915 |
| F. Otis Drayton | Alpha, 1912 | 1915–1918 |
| Burleigh E. Jacobs | Epsilon, 1914 | 1918–1919 |
| Chester R. Murray | Zeta, 1909 | 1919–1920 |
| Justin E. Williams | Alpha, 1914 | 1920–1922 |
| Peter W. Dykema Peter W. Dykema Peter W. Dykema was an important force in the growth of the Music Supervisors National Conference and the music education profession. Although he was not one of the founding members of the organization, he attended his first meeting in 1908 and was listed as a new member in 1913... |
Phi, 1921 | 1922–1928 |
| Aubrey W. Martin | Alpha Theta, 1923 | 1928–1932 |
| James T. Quarles | Delta, 1924 | 1932–1936 |
| Herbert Kimbrough | Chi, 1921 | 1936–1938 |
| Norval Church | Phi, 1923 | 1938–1942 |
| Alvah A. Beecher | Alpha Lambda, 1925 | 1942–1946 |
| Albert Lukken | Alpha Chi, 1927 | 1946–1950 |
| Archie N. Jones | Alpha Mu, 1929 | 1950–1960 |
| William B. McBride | Omega, 1928 | 1960–1964 |
| Harry Robert Wilson | Tau, 1924 | 1964–1967 |
| Carl M. Neumeyer | Gamma Delta, 1938 | 1967–1970 |
| Robert C. Soule | Beta Gamma, 1944 | 1970–1973 |
| J. Eugene Duncan | Epsilon Nu, 1950 | 1973–1976 |
| Lucien P. Stark | Alpha Beta, 1947 | 1976–1979 |
| Emile H. Serposs | Beta Gamma, 1944 | 1979–1982 |
| Maurice I. Laney | Beta Iota, 1940 | 1982–1985 |
| William B. Dederer | Rho Chi, 1967 | 1985–1988 |
| T. Jervis Underwood | Gamma Theta, 1954 | 1988–1991 |
| Robert L. Hause III | Epsilon, 1955 | 1991–1994 |
| Richard A. Crosby | Eta-Omicron, 1975 | 1994–1997 |
| Terry Blair | Beta Mu, 1979 | 1997–2000 |
| Darhyl S. Ramsey Darhyl S. Ramsey Darhyl S. Ramsey is a professor of music in the Division of Music Education at the University of North Texas College of Music.-Education:Ramsey earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Carson-Newman College and his Masters and Ph.D... |
Lambda Omega, 1967 | 2000–2003 |
| Richard A. Crosby | Eta-Omicron, 1975 | 2003–2009 |
| John A. Mongiovi | Upsilon Psi, 1994 | 2009–2012 |
Other national officers
The corporate officers of the fraternity in addition to the National President and National Vice President are the National Secretary-Treasurer and the National Historian. The National Secretary-Treasurer is designated by the NEC from among its members. The NEC may also designate an Assistant Secretary-Treasurer from among its member or among the members of the national staff who is empowered to fulfill all of the duties of the National Secretary-Treasurer. The National Historian is appointed by the National President subject to ratification by the NEC.National Council
As established by the fraternity's first national constitution, the highest governing body within the fraternity was known as the Supreme Governing Council, the members of which were the supreme (national) officers and one supreme councilman from each chapter, usually its president. This was the body that conducted business at each national convention, and it could also conduct business by mail ballot between conventions if necessary. The fraternity moved to the present National Assembly format with delegates being the members of the NEC, the PGs, and one collegiate member from each province (now the CPR) in 1964 at the same time that it moved from biennial to triennial conventions. The National Council as a governing body was retained, but only for actions required between conventions that are outside the jurisdiction of the National Executive Committee (e.g., amending the National Constitution). The National Council in its present form consists of the members of the NEC, the PGs, and the president or his designee of each collegiate chapter.Province Governors' and Collegiate Province Representatives' Councils
The PGs and the CPRs organize themselves into respective councils for the purposes of advising the NEC on the operations of the fraternity and facilitating communication among themselves. Each council elects a chairman and a secretary during caucus meetings at each national convention. The chairman of each council serves as a member of the NEC, and the secretary assumes the chairmanship should it become vacant. The chairmen and the secretaries of the CPRs' and PGs' Councils hold their positions until the next national convention, even if they cease to be a Province Governor or Collegiate Province Representative.The CPRs' Council meets from December 27–31 of each year, and the PGs' Council meets during the summer of each non-convention year. These meetings are referred to as convocations and are usually held at Lyrecrest. At the convocations, the chairmen conduct training sessions for the members of their respective councils, facilitate discussions about topics of concern regarding the fraternity, and chair business sessions for the purpose of adopting formal resolutions recommending actions to the NEC. In convention years, members of the PG's Council arrive at the national convention site a day early for a brief meeting to prepare for their duties as members of the National Assembly but a full convocation is not held.
Commission on Standards
The Commission on Standards (COS) is the only national standing committee required under Phi Mu Alpha's National Constitution. The COS has three primary areas of responsibility.The COS is responsible for all aspects of the fraternity's Colony Program, including establishing the guidelines of the program, approving petitioning groups for colony status, and approving applications for chapter installation or reactivation that are submitted by colonies. For good cause, the COS may dissolve a colony at any time.
The COS also oversees the operational well-being of chapters and alumni associations. If a chapter or alumni association is not meeting certain standards, the COS may take corrective actions. Should such actions fail, the COS may place a chapter or alumni association on inactive status.
Additionally, the COS serves as the fraternity's national judiciary. It enforces national policies, especially the fraternity's Risk Management Policies, by conducting investigations into alleged violations and imposing disciplinary actions on individual members, chapters, or alumni associations as it deems appropriate. The COS may also discipline individual members, chapters, and alumni associations for general misconduct that is harmful to the best interests or good name of the fraternity. All disciplinary actions taken by the COS are appealable to the NEC.
Members of the COS are appointed for three-year terms by the National President subject to ratification by the NEC. The COS must include in its membership at least one Province Governor and at least one collegiate member, though these statuses must only be held at the time of appointment and not for the entire term. A member of the NEC is also appointed to serve as a non-voting member of the COS.
National headquarters and staff
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
known as Lyrecrest. The headquarters contains the working offices of the fraternity's national staff, and an adjacent building known as Lyrecrest North contains the fraternity's national archives. The national headquarters property also includes the Robert H. Bray Cottage, a lodge-style building with approximately 22 beds used for housing for retreats and national committee meetings.
The national staff is led by Jeremy M. Evans, Chief Operating Officer. The other full-time staff members are
- William C. Lambert, Director of Programs
- Mark A. Wilson, Director of Communications
- Nathan Schulte, Retreat Coordinator and Programs Associate
- Tonya R. McGuire, ControllerComptrollerA comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
- Kimberly J. Daily, Administrative CoordinatorSecretaryA secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
Because the Retreat Coordinator and Programs Associate's duties include leading retreats at the Lyrecrest facility on many weekends out of the year and also providing logistical support to meetings of national committees and councils, he is housed by the fraternity on-site at Lyrecrest North.
Jon Rader and Elizabeth Rader serve as part-time staff members. Jon is the Shipping Clerk, and Elizabeth is an Administrative Assistant.
Sinfonia Educational Foundation
The Sinfonia Educational Foundation (SEF) is the philanthropic arm of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity. The mission of the SEF is to enrich the lives of collegiate Sinfonians and to advance music in America by supporting scholarship, education, and the development of leadership and noble ideals among future generations of musicians and supporters of music in America.Membership pins
Probationary members are required to wear a special probationary membership pin "at all reasonable times". The design of the probationary membership pin is an upward-pointing equilateral triangle of black enamel surrounded by a border of red enamel, with a thin gold border separating the red and black enamel and another thin gold border around the outside of the pin surrounding the red enamel.
Colors
The official colors of Phi Mu Alpha are red, black, and gold. The Sinfonia Club adopted the colors red and black on March 7, 1900, and used them as the color motif of the decorations for its first club room As a national fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha adopted red and black as its official colors at its 1st National Convention in 1901. Gold was adopted as the third color of the fraternity at the 10th National Convention in 1910Flower
Phi Mu Alpha's official flower is the chrysanthemumChrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus constituting approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which is native to Asia and northeastern Europe.-Etymology:...
, adopted at the 1st National Convention in 1901.
Coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
was adopted at the 10th National Convention in 1910. The escutcheon (shield) consists of a red saltire
Saltire
A saltire, or Saint Andrew's Cross, is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter ex . Saint Andrew is said to have been martyred on such a cross....
(or Saint Andrew’s Cross) on a field of gold. Centered is a symbol similar to the fraternity’s membership pin, though differing in that instead of 7 red and white circles/stones along each side of the triangle, there are 13 monochromatic circles along each side. The saltire divides the escutcheon into four sections. In the dexter section (bearer's right or viewer's left) are clasped hands, in the sinister section (bearer's left or viewer's right) are panpipes, and in the base section (bottom) is a lamp. The chief section (top) contains no charge
Charge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
but the point of the centered triangular symbol crosses into it.
Two fanfare trumpets crossing behind the escutcheon with the bells at the top and mouthpieces at the bottom serve as supporters. Above the escutcheon is decorative mantling
Mantling
In heraldry, mantling or lambrequin is drapery tied to the helmet above the shield. It forms a backdrop for the shield. In paper heraldry it is a depiction of the protective cloth covering worn by knights from their helmets to stave off the elements, and, secondarily, to decrease the effects of...
and a lyre as the crest
Crest (heraldry)
A crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....
. Below is a scroll divided into three sections by the leadpipe
Leadpipe
In a brass instrument, a leadpipe is the pipe or tube into which the mouthpiece is placed.For example, on the illustration of a trombone, the leadpipe would be between #3 and #4, the mouthpiece and the slide lock ring. In the illustration of a French horn, the leadpipe is #2.Some instruments have a...
s of the fanfare trumpets. In the center section is the word Sinfonia, and the left and right sections display the numbers 18 and 98, respectively, representing the founding year of the fraternity: 1898.
Flag
The official fraternity flag consists of a red field with the coat of arms centered on a wide black diagonal stripe extending from the upper hoistFlag terminology
Flag terminology is a jargon used in vexillology, the study of flags, to describe precisely the parts, patterns, and other attributes of flags and their display.-Description of standard flag parts and terms:...
to the lower fly
Flag terminology
Flag terminology is a jargon used in vexillology, the study of flags, to describe precisely the parts, patterns, and other attributes of flags and their display.-Description of standard flag parts and terms:...
.
Publications
In addition to the numerous manuals, guides, and policy documents produced by the fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha has the following major publications:- The Sinfonian, the official publication of the fraternity in the form of a semi-annual magazine sent to all collegiate members through their chapters and to alumni who have purchased a subscription.
- The Red & Black, a newsletter sent to all collegiate members and available on the fraternity's web site.
- Sinfonia Resonance, a free electronic newsletter sent to all alumni members with valid e-mail addresses on file with the fraternity.
- Themes for Brotherhood, a manual for probationary members.
- Sinfonia Songs, a book of fraternity songs for members published since 1908; currently in its sixth edition.
- Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia: A Centennial History, 2nd Edition, is a detailed history of the fraternity from its founding through 1998.