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Frank Miles, Tattler Editor
frank@sinfoniantattler.com
Scott Erb, Tattler Staff
Writer
scott@sinfoniantattler.com
Phil Wilson, Tattler Staff Writer
phil@sinfoniantattler.com
Tommy House, Tattler Staff Webmaster
tommy@sinfoniantattler.com
NOT PICTURED
Travis Bryant, Tattler Staff Writer
travis@sinfoniantattler.com
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The Downbeat
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Frank Miles,
Tattler Editor
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Recently, the complete schedule for the 2006 Troy
Trojans football team was released.
Filled with past national champions and tough in-state rivals, the
team could be in for another long season.
But we do have some good news – while we can’t save you money on
your car insurance, the Tattler is filled with some holiday inspiration and
good cheer.
Read on to find out how some of your brothers are using
the tools they got out of the Phi Mu Alpha toolbox as collegiate
Sinfonians. Also, welcome the
“doctor” back from his mission of administering some “harmonious”
medicine. And, as usual, catch up
with a brother you may not have heard from in a while and take another trip
down Memory Lane.
From all of us at the Sinfonian Tattler
to all of you
and your families, Happy Holidays!
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Phi
Mu Alpha Toolbox
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Phil Wilson,
Tattler Staff
During the Thanksgiving holiday, I had a chance to sit
and reflect on the things that I am really thankful for. Of course, all of the regulars came to
mind like family, life, health and strength; but for some odd reason, my  mind
drifted off to Christmas, which wasn’t too difficult to do since every
store and every other house on the block begins decorating for Christmas
during the Thanksgiving season.
While my thoughts were on Christmas, I began to
remember all of the Christmases that I asked for one thing and got
another. At that time it seemed as
if I couldn’t use the gift I received, but I took it with gratitude knowing
that there were people who didn’t even get this opportunity. I would bring the gift home and store
it in a closet or cabinet with the other unnecessary gifts I had
previously received and forget all about them until the next Christmas
when I was there to put yet one more gift away. It almost became a tradition for me.
 One
day, I remembered needing to do something and I didn’t have the
appropriate tools to successfully complete that specific task. Though I tried to improvise by using
other tools to stand in place of that one tool, it just didn’t seem to be
working. After racking my brain
over a possible solution to this problem, I remembered the place I stored
the unnecessary gifts I received during Christmas and went to check to
see if there was anything there I could possible use. Amongst all of the things I had cast
aside was the perfect tool to complete the task I needed to finish. This quickly led to a realization that
all things received, no matter what we think about them at that
particular time, are useful in some way.
It wasn’t long before I started using the things in that closet
more and more. Now when I receive
gifts that I didn’t ask for, I put them in a safe place knowing they will
be used one day.
The purpose for the short story above and this article
is to expose what tools we received in Phi Mu Alpha that we are able to
use today. Obviously, since I
chose a career in music, I am able to use many of the things practiced by
Phi Mu Alpha, but what about those of you who chose not to pursue a
career in music? What tips and
tools did you acquire from Iota Nu that help you in your every day
profession?
 At
homecoming, I had the opportunity to see Royce Robinson, who works in the
wonderful world of finance, and I asked him what tools he learned from
Phi Mu Alpha help him in his profession.
His response was simply keeping financial records for large groups
of people. Collecting money for
dues, corresponding with the National Headquarters on the financial
status of the chapter and advising the chapter on purchases and other financial
matters was the type of thing Royce did as treasurer of the chapter. He was very quick to say that holding
this office in the chapter helps him every day in his job. I am not sure what Royce aspired to be
during his time at Troy,
but I am glad to see that he was prepared in some way for the “outside
world.”
When asked the same question, Jerome Williams (Royce’s
little brother) said that Phi Mu Alpha taught him patience.
“Being with the brothers on many occasions planning
and carrying out projects can really test a man’s patience,” Jerome
said. “I am thankful to have been
a part of Phi Mu Alpha in these situations. It has taught me how to listen intently
to others which is a skill I think we all should work on.
“Working with the public is a trying task, especially
when they want it their way. Phi
Mu Alpha helped prepare me for this.
Planning the functions of the fraternity as an officer and as a
brother opened my eyes to the many different points of view that there
are. Hearing those different
points of view is where the patience is truly tested.”
(Jerome currently works in Atlanta at the Druid Hills Country Club
where he is the main bartender. I am sure Iota Nu had a hand in
helping him some in this area also.)
These two brothers are just a couple of examples of
how the Phi Mu Alpha toolbox was useful to them in their professional
career. Although they both chose
to take the non-musical route, Phi Mu Alpha was still able to help them
accomplish things successfully in their life.
Remember that not all gifts appear to be useful at the
time they are given, but I’ll bet you can reflect back and find similar
situations as the ones I mentioned in this article. Believe it or not, our times at Troy were
educational and really prepared us in some way or another for the real
world. Now it’s all about looking
in that closet, and doing inventory of your stock.
How has Phi Mu Alpha helped you? If you didn’t chose a career path in
music and would like to share with us how the fraternity contributed to
your success, please feel free to send your story to phil@sinfoniantattler.com or howboutthat@hotmail.com.
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Q & A: Jerome Williams
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Phil Wilson,
Tattler Staff
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 Jerome Williams is a brother who
continues to uphold true brotherhood by his actions and ideas. He is the founder and co-manager of a
Yahoo group that continues to unite brothers from this area and around
the nation. He is still doing a
brother’s part.
Tat: Where are you
originally from and why did you choose to attend Troy State?
Jerome: I am originally from Georgiana, Ala.,
where I spent most of my life.
Since then, I have relocated to Atlanta, Ga. I chose Troy because many of my high school
friends were going there, and I knew of their long stand tradition of
excellent bands and music.
Tat: What year were you
initiated into Phi Mu Alpha? What
was your most memorable experience?
Jerome: I was initiated in the winter of
1996. My most memorable moment was
having the ceremony performed at Lyrecrest. After the ritual, the most exciting
experience for me was having a brotherhood meeting at 2 a.m. It was the best!
Tat: We understand that
you are the founder of a Yahoo group titled Black Sinfonians. Please tell us your inspiration behind
this group and what you hoped it would accomplish. Has it met your expectations?
Jerome: This group was started back in July of
2002. Its purpose was mainly to
serve as a tool for brothers of the fraternity to keep in touch and
informed with HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and
Universities). It was also a way
for the African-American/ "Black" brothers at Troy past, present
and future to continue to stay in touch with one another. Yes, it has met my expectations plus
some. It still surprises me today
that the group is still going strong with new members being added daily. The discussions in this group range
from normal functions of the fraternity to personal problems by
individuals. To see brothers
really reaching out in this group to help each other is really
touching. Some brothers even
invite other chapters to their towns for retreats.
Tat: Who were your
first members and how did you attract others to join? Approximately how many members do you
have to date?
Jerome: Initially, I started the group by
sending e-mail invites to several brothers of Iota Nu. I believe a
few, if not all of these, are still members today. After I got my first
few members, there was not much going on in the club; so I started to
search the web for other Phi Mu Alpha sites and for chapters at
HBCUs. From there I sent more
e-mail invites to Alabama State,
Alabama, A&M, Howard
and Florida A&M. However, it
was not ‘till I ran into Nick Lindsey from North Carolina that the group exploded
with new membership. Word of mouth
was really our biggest asset. Currently, we have over 180 active
members.
Tat: Are you still
managing the group? If not, who
is?
Jerome: As much as I would love to personally
manage the group and recruit new members, my schedule will not allow me
to do so exclusively. I still like
to remain involved with the group, but I have passed on some of the
responsibility to Nick. I feel a little guilty because Nick is
now handling most of the group’s duties like welcoming new members and
screening prospective members. I
continue, and will continue, to offer advice to further the cause of the
group.
Tat: Are there other
interesting facts about the group you wish to share?
Jerome: The group has grown into a resource and
networking Web site. We have
brothers from all over the South, if not the country, connecting with
other brothers and chapters. We use the group to post ritual
information, news from the National Headquarters and local events like
the Honda Battle of the Bands, which is held here in Atlanta each year. This is a
group for brothers of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. This group is primarily for but not
limited to HBCU chapters and brothers.
If you are a brother of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, you are welcome to
join. The purpose of this group
will unite the hearts, minds and spirits of brothers nationwide.
Tat: Where do you now
live? What profession are you in?
Jerome: I currently live in Atlanta and I work at a private golf
club as the Head Bar Keeper/Bartender.
I am basically the go-to guy when there are questions or concerns
about any of the five bars we have on site. Besides
working at the club, I spend one week each summer working at Clayton County Parks
and Recreation as a peer counselor and music game coordinator for the
mentally and physically handicapped.
Tat: Any shout-outs?
Jerome: I just want to give a big ALL HAIL to my Big Bro
Royce Robinson – it was great seeing you at HC ‘05. And to the Class of 1996, “Get Up ON
BOFFA – Delta Nu ---Bab-by."
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Homecoming
2005 Photos
Tommy House,
Tattler Staff
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 We have assembled some of the 2005 Homecoming photos sent in by YOU, our Sinfonian
Tattler readers! View them here. If you have photos from Homecoming and
were not able to get them in to us in time for this issue thanks ok, we
forgive you, but we would love to see them…please upload
them here: http://sinfoniantattler.com/upload/upload.php.
Do you have
pictures from your days at Troy?
Send them in as well! We loved to see them and who know you may see them in
an upcoming issue!
Brother
Will Boartfield
Click here to view the 2005 Homecoming photos!
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SOTS Alumni Band 2005
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Tommy House,
Tattler Staff
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The video may be a little shaky and
the old folks may be as well but the Alumni SOUND OF THE SOUTH is back in town!
View our out-of-breath practice video here.
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Rob Lyda
Scott Erb,
Tattler Staff
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 Since
coming back from homecoming, I have been pondering what I could possibly
contribute to Memory Lane. As I mingled with various people I
heard so many great stories and personal recounts of historic Sound of
the South moments. It was great
seeing all of the brothers that made the trek back to Troy to “put the hay in the barn” and
of course to eat the cold Crowe’s chicken.
As I sit in my office in the “ivory tower of higher
education,” so many precious memories flood my brain that it is difficult
to pick a favorite. It is amazing
to think what a profound influence Phi Mu Alpha has made upon my
life. Almost daily, I encounter
situations that immediately take me back to a memory. For instance, this past week I had a
little fender bender. When I got
home after the accident I immediately thought of Scott Erb and his
infamous wreck, with Thomas Furlough.
I never will forget the look on either gentleman’s face; Erb was
just sorry it happened, but Thomas jumped out of his van, without putting
the van in park, and had a look as if he was going to beat the tar out of
Erb. It was hilarious!
My wife had a flat tire a few weeks ago, and I thought
of Chad Turner and how Nicky Bull and I blew out his two back tires. To make a very long story short… Chad
insisted that Nicky and I sit in the back seat of his Ford Probe. We tried to argue, but he told us to do
what we had been told. So, being
the good pledges we were, we did as he had instructed. Sadly Nicky and I were too fat (sorry
Nicky, you have gotten skinnier and I have continued to “grow”), so we
busted out the passenger side rear tire, eventually the spare, and then
the driver’s side rear tire. We
rode back from Jinright’s to Troy
with two flat tires.
There are so many other memories…
Michael Bird --- remember our trip to Disney
World? That was the best turkey
sandwich I had ever tasted, and remember I am Quasimodo!
 Tim
Lutz and Scott Erb --- remember riding back from Montgomery “topless?” I am very glad we didn’t get pulled
over; it would have been hard to explain that situation.
Jacob Reed, Phil Wilson, and Lamar --- Remember our
revival experience?
How many brothers from 1999-2001 remember Nicky Bull’s
halfway house for brothers of Phi Mu Alpha.
Hey Scott Snell--- What’s up GI Joe?
Those are just a few of the many memories I have of my
time in Troy. I want to encourage all of you to not
let your stories of friendship and brotherhood stop, just because you
have left Troy. I try to continually build new memories
of brotherhood everyday, by staying in contact and reminiscing with
brothers. Currently there is a
group of brothers that live in the Auburn
area, and we all try to get together every two weeks for food and
fellowship. When I moved to Auburn in June it
was great to know that I would have a network of friends and brothers to
share past and current experiences.
If you are ever in the Auburn
area look us up, we would love to include you in the fun.
Once again, it was good seeing all of you at
Homecoming. Continue to let the
spirit of Sinfonia burn deep within you.
It is truly great to be a brother of Phi Mu Alpha!
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Autumn Winds Bring Change to Music Department
Scott Erb,
Tattler Staff
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We
all know that this past summer Dr. William R. Denison retired as Director
of the John
M. Long
School of
Music. What we didn’t know is who
would fill his shoes. The man who
took the reigns and is pushing to keep the school striving on and ever
upward is Dr. Larry Blocher.
Dr.
Blocher attended Florida State University
in the late 80s where he completed his doctoral degree, but he has always
known about the outstanding reputation of Troy
University and the School of Music. He contributes his knowledge of Troy to his close
friendship with Robert W. Smith.
They became good friends and have worked on many projects together. Robert always spoke highly of his alma
mater. When visiting Troy during the
interview process, the campus atmosphere and the faculty members drew Dr.
Blocher in.
“I
could tell that everyone was sincere in wanting to move the music program
forward,” Dr. Blocher said. “I
wanted to be part of that process.
I enjoyed the teaching and making music parts of the job, and I
hope to get back to more of that soon.”
Before
coming to Troy, Dr. Blocher worked at Wichita State
University in Kansas
and also taught at Morehead State University
in Kentucky
for seven years.
“I
am looking forward for our (Troy) School of Music to become more comprehensive
while maintaining and growing its current strengths,” said Dr. Blocher. “This will take open minds and strong
support from our upper administration – a true team effort.”
These
are exciting times for the School
of Music. Sometimes, change brings hesitation or discontent,
but Dr. Blocher is ready to lead the school on and ever upward to make it
one of the best in the country.
Speaking
of “On and Ever Upward,” Dr. Blocher is a brother of Phi Mu Alpha.
“I
was made an honorary Sinfonian while a faculty member at Morehead State – a big honor for me. I have always been impressed with the
high level of musicianship represented by this organization as well as
the genuine spirit of service that is Phi Mu Alpha. This is one group
that can and does make a difference.”
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Welcome
Back, Doc!
Scott Erb,
Tattler Staff
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 In
October, we told you about a brother’s efforts to take a little musical
joy to a country that isn’t able to enjoy all the things we take for
granted. Well, Doc Kirby is back
from Cuba,
and he wrote us this letter, filled with excitement and pride, to
chronicle his journey.
Greetings
Sinfonian Tattler and fellow alumni,
Hurricane Wilma delayed our travel by three days. Miami
airport couldn't fly us out until Wednesday at 11:30 p.m., so all our
"downtime" was eliminated. We hit the ground running and didn’t
slow down until we flew home the next Wednesday morning.
This time we spent two days in Santiago holding an Instrumental
Exposition, where we offered free Master Classes on their instruments and
a mass orchestra reading music. We
traveled by bus overnight 13 hours  across
the nation to get to Santiago
(good thing I had experience doing this with the SOTS!).
One of the things that really affected all of us,
whether it was our third or first trip, was the joyous nature of the
Cuban people. In the midst of
grinding poverty and severe economic deprivation, they are aglow with
Christ. On Sunday morning we
played in a church which was in the process of gutting its building and
remaking the interior to seat 500, making it the biggest church in Havana. The government will not allow a new
building or adding onto an existing building, so you must renovate
internally. The sanctuary was
stuffed with people hanging off staircases; as we played "Give
Thanks" they began to sing... loudly, joyously! When they passed the collection plate,
they couldn't wait to put their pesos in it. So we in the orchestra insisted that
they let us put our pesos in, too. It was amazing!
 Going
to Santiago allowed us to contact
musicians in East Cuba, which was a
first for Global Missions Project.
We didn't get to eat out but once, so we ate black
beans and rice (the national dish) twice a day at the churches. That wasn't too bad but we got a little
tired of it by the time we came home.
We worked harder physically this time, but it was time
well spent. We had the chance to
help a little, fix some instruments, give away music and musical supplies
like valve oil, which are impossible for them to get anywhere else. The need is so great and the people are
so wonderful.
The delay in getting to Cuba really bonded us as a
team. We had half of the team in Miami without
lights, AC and hot showers for three days. The other half came by car Tuesday night
(having spent all day Tuesday together waiting word to come south), and
our last teammate flew in Wednesday morning.
I can't wait to go back.
Fraternally,
Doc Kirby
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Notes in the Key of Troy
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Jacob Rasberry,
Iota Nu Alumni Secretary
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As 2005 comes to a close, I look back upon the semester
and see that our chapter has been very busy.
We have started our recruiting, initiated a new chapter
(Delta Epsilon at the University
of South Alabama), sponsored the semiannual
School of Music Honors Recital, had an
exceptional recital under the direction of Mark Turner, assisted with the
Middle School SEUS clinic, and assisted with the Trojan Summer Music Games. We have made a revision of the bylaws and
gave money to the drum line for the purchase of new equipment. We also made Sigma Alpha Iota sister, Amy
Ray, sweetheart.
Also this semester, some great things have happened to
our brothers. We had two brothers
become engaged: Justin Amaro and Josh Cockrell. Three of our brothers are doing their
student teaching next spring: Terrance Cobb, Sean Weiler and myself. Also, Brian Smith (son of Brother James
Smith) is planning on interning in graphic design next spring.
One of our faculty brothers celebrated a joyous occasion
as well. Dr. Mark Walker finished
his doctoral thesis and successfully defended it. Phi Mu Alpha, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta
Sigma and Sigma Alpha Iota went in together to throw a reception for him
and buy him a nice frame for his diploma.
We might possibly see some of you this weekend at Middle
School SEUS; we’ll be working as hospitality coordinators for the guest
bands. And on Friday night, we will
be holding our pinning ceremony for the new probationary members. Also this weekend, Province Governor Tony
Cowen will be visiting with us and discussing how the chapter is run. There will be a social gathering at Brother
Troy Russell’s house. If interested,
call me at 205-217-6023 and I’ll give directions.
Now that the semester is over, we are busy looking
toward the future. On and Ever
Upward!
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Iota N”u”ws
Scott Erb, Tattler Staff
Here
are the new Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonian Iota Nu chapter probationary class
members:
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Shawn
Brown
Christopher
Corey Hall
Lamar
Calvin Hawthorne
Lance
Herndon Holman
Micheal
Andrew Johnston
Adam G.
Hudson
Jeremy
Austin Leach
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Robert L.
Lee
David
P. Mitcham
Raymond
Scott Sexton
Samuel
Wayne Sherman
Adrian
Franco Smith
Jeffrey
Wayne Tate
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Cleveland Rocks!
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Travis Bryant,
Tattler Staff
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Ok
guys, if you haven’t joined the Sinfonian Discussion Group (SDG), you are
missing opportunities like this great offer.
From
now until May 1, 2006, all brothers of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia in good
standing (who are not required to attend the assembly) are eligible to win
a FREE trip to the 2006 National
Assembly by entering the "I wanna be a ROCK STAR" contest.
 Basically
all you have to do is go to http://sinfoniastore.org, buy a $10 Phi Mu Alpha shirt
(each t-shirt is black with white screen print; shirt sizes range from
Small to 5XL) and you get your name entered in the drawing for a $2,000
travel prize package. There is one
bonus day per month between now and May. The good folks at Lyrecrest will e-mail
hints and clues to let you know when the day is. If you buy your $10 shirt that day, you
get entered into the prize package twice!
We'll
see you in Cleveland!
Here's
December's hint:
The
leaping lords took the dancing ladies to a Christmas party. Some of the ladies were distracted by
golden rings and were left behind.
How many people went to the party on the Double Entry date?
OFFICIAL
CONTEST INFORMATION:
 By
buying a $10 t-shirt, you will be entered into a drawing where you could
win a Convention prize package of over $2,000, which includes:
- Free registration to the 2006 National
Convention for himself and a guest brother or non-brother).
- Flight to and from Cleveland, Ohio
(with limo ride to and from the
hotel).*
- Four night stay in a two-room suite at
the Cleveland
Crowne Plaza
City Center.
-
Guaranteed spot on the field to sing the National Anthem at the Cleveland
Indians game.
- All-Access Pass to all Convention
events (including tickets to a Cleveland Indians game, Cleveland Orchestra
concert and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame).
*-If driving
into Cleveland,
you will receive a travel voucher.
Limo service will not be provided.
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Get the Gift of Sinfonia this Season
Travis Bryant, Tattler Staff
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Just
when you thought it was safe to hand over you wish list, the fine fraternal
folks at the Sinfonia Store announce a Holiday
sale!
So
add this link to your list and check it twice to make sure you get what's
really nice (and cheap!):
http://sinfoniastore.org/Merchant2/merchant.mvc? Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=H
The
sale items are 25% off. We can't
verify that ‘cause we can't do math.
But it's all cool stuff. Even
if you have "grown up" and don't appreciate big old 12-inch
letters across your chest, you'll find something here that will make you
proud. Merry Christmas!
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 Way
to go Brother Erb!
Mr. Scott Erb is moving back to Alabama. He has accepted the position
of Web Developer / Website Designer for The Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, AL.
Congratulations to Scott and Susan Enriquez on the
birth of their son, Carter Zane, on Nov. 4, 2005.
Happy Birthday to Tattler staffers Phil Wilson and Scott
Erb!
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Travis Bryant , Tattler Staff
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Welcome to da’dump! Each month Tattler staffers scour the web and lurk
in dark corners to find cool and fun stuff. From here you’ll get a
glimpse into what is going on and who is doing it. And anything and
everything is fair game. So if you know of something cool and neat that
folks should check out send it to us and we’ll see if it fits the
program! Email Travis
Bryant with your cool link.
Welcome
to this Holiday Edition of the Sin-ho-ho-fo-nian Link Dump.
It
may be getting chilly up ‘Nawth,’ but over in Texas they're still a tad warm. But they're still in the gift giving
mood! Thanks to the brothers of
Gamma Phi for posting this gem:
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