Table of Contents

- The Biggie: How Do We Help?
- In A Small Town
- Sing in Unison
- Q & A: David Lowery
- Down Memory Lane
- "High Notes" (New Section: Births, anniversaries, weddings, etc.)
- Province Workshop 2005
- Link Dump
- Troy University Happenings and Events
- Calendar of Upcoming Events

The Biggie: How Do We Help?
Casey Speigner , Tattler Staff

If today we were all asked the question “Why Sinfonia?” what would we say? Would we all spit out the answer from James Mack Burk (Delta Zeta) in our Themes for Brotherhood book, or would we be able to come up with another reason of our own? When we began this journey we all had certain reasons for stepping into the deep water that is Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Some were simply looking for brotherhood. Some were wanting to network and create a resume builder. Then there are some who lived the purposes before they even knew what they were. They knew that they wanted “to encourage and actively promote the highest standards of creativity, performance, education, and research in music in America” and they also wanted to “instill in all people an awareness of music’s important role in the enrichment of the human spirit.”

We are going to tackle the issue of music advocacy this month. We hope to encourage all of us to step up and do our part. Whether it be singing in your local church choir, being in your local band booster organization or starting an orchestra, we all need to be active. That is why we signed up.

The Tattler staff will also travel to "Hotlanta" to visit with another alumnus, take you on our first walk Down Memory Lane, provide you with more fun and interesting places to visit in cyberspace, and alert you to important dates and happenings in the lives of your brothers in "High Notes." Enjoy!
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In A Small Town
Casey Speigner, Tattler Staff

A couple of months ago, I was sitting in Hardee’s on a Friday morning. I have a group of guys that I meet with and we sit around and drink coffee and tell stories. I know that makes me way older than the 28 years that I am, but hey, that’s what I do. During our session we began to discuss the pros and cons of big cities versus small cities. They were of the opinion that small cities were the way to go. I on the other hand have lived in Enterprise, Ala. my entire life and would surely not mind the opportunity to “live a little.” I immediately told them of my desire to step out and see the big city, drive in the midst of the big city traffic, have pollution filling my lungs with every breath. They, of course, were shocked. They couldn’t understand. They wanted to know why.

In my life, I have seen some neat things: museums, symphony orchestras, rock concerts, football games, etc. How many of them do you think I saw in Enterprise? None!!! Well, I did see Ray Stephens in Enterprise when I was 7, but does that really count? I’m guessing not.

A couple of weeks after that Friday morning conversation, I accompanied my wife to Indianapolis for an English teachers’ convention. While there, I was fortunate enough to see Doc Severinsen in concert with the Indy Symphony Orchestra. What a cool night! All I could think was how badly I wish there was something I could do to get somebody like that to come to Enterprise. What would it take? I’m not real sure I know, but I would love to find out.

The first thing that we can do is support what’s already in place. On occasion, we have had a few washed up acts come through but nobody ever goes to support them. Maybe the Temptation’s Revue isn’t what you had in mind, but go and support it anyway. The more support there is, the more money there is and the more money there is, the better names that will come through.

Secondly, we need to find out what group or arts alliance is putting these events on and try to find out how to be a part of them. I would be willing to bet that they would love to have someone volunteer to help with these projects. And last, make sure that everyone knows when and where these events are going to happen. I’d be willing to bet that if you live in a small town like I do, if someone does come through, no one knows it. Hand out fliers or put an ad on the local public access channel. Be creative.

The key is to do something. If nothing is going on in your area, then maybe you should be the one to start it. We all sit around and wait for something to happen. “Someone else will do it,” we say. Don’t wait for them. Let’s get started and see what we can make happen. Contact your local arts alliance today and let’s begin making music in our hometowns a priority.
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Let Us Sing in Unison
Frank Miles, Tattler Staff

According to the Arts Action Fund, a national grass-roots advocacy effort recently formed by Americans for the Arts, “40 percent of funding for state arts agencies has been cut over the past two years.” The organization also maintains that some states have virtually eliminated arts funding and that private support of the arts has dropped 40 percent in the past decade. In 1992, the arts received 8.4 percent of all charitable giving. In 2003, only 5.4 percent of charity went to the arts.

The numbers are staggering. We’re talking about BILLIONS of dollars.

As sports stadiums are being built around the country, many times with the help of public money, public school music programs are having to rely more and more on fundraisers and other sources of income just to stay afloat. Never mind going to that music festival or performing in that parade.

Now, I’ve got nothing against sports, and any of you who know me know I’m a sports nut. But do I support athletics, or anything else in our schools for that matter, at the cost of music? Absolutely not!

The Arts Action Fund is an organization that encourages citizens to get involved on the local level. They show members how to contact local officials, deal with media, work with area arts councils and many other ways to ensure that the arts are a vibrant part of community life. The fund’s parent organization advocates on a grander scale.

We all know where the true power to change things lies – government. And it’s tough to get elected officials to listen when it’s not an election year. Sure, you can write or call your legislator, but do you honestly believe he or she will personally read that letter or answer the phone? That’s where Americans for the Arts comes in. They lobby the VIPs in Washington D.C. to get more funding in budgets for the arts. They also serve as kind of a watchdog by reporting the voting habits of legislators when it comes to matters concerning the arts.

These are just two of the many organizations out there that can help you help music. VH1 Save The Music purchases new musical instruments to restore music education programs that have been cut due to budget reductions in the past or to save programs at risk of elimination due to lack of instruments. The American Music Conference offers tools to build credibility for music and music education, especially at an early age, and to expand that portion of the population that enjoys and makes its own music. The Music for All Foundation is committed to expanding the role of music and the arts in education, to heightening the public’s appreciation of the value of music and arts education, and to creating a positive environment for the arts through societal change.

Please click on the links to visit these organizations and learn how you can get involved!
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Q & A: David Lowery
Scott Erb, Tattler Staff

Tat: When did you leave Troy?
David: I left after I graduated in May 1996.

Tat: Where are you now?
David: I have lived in Georgia for the past 9 years. I live in Atlanta now, but prior to that I lived in a small town called Americus. While in Americus, I worked as the Assistant Director of Admissions for Georgia Southwestern State University. I completed my Master’s there in the year 2000.

Tat: What are you doing now-a-days?
David: I am an Academic Advisor at Georgia State University. When people want to know exactly what I do, I usually tell them it is like being a guidance counselor, but at the college level. I have been employed by the University System of Georgia for almost 9 years. I am also involved in the Atlanta Preservation Society and the Atlanta History Center. I am a member of Saint Mark United Methodist Church which has an awesome music program, both vocal and instrumental.

Tat: What made you stay in education?
David: I like helping people. There is no greater joy than knowing I have helped my students in achieving their educational and career goals.

Tat: Sounds like you have a lot going on. What do you miss most about college?
David: Wow. Where do I begin? I miss Phi Mu Alpha and my friends especially. I also miss the endless opportunities for musical performance that was afforded to me, through both Phi Mu Alpha and the TSU Music Department.

Tat: Ever see any other Iota Nu Alumni out your way?
David: Sadly, I haven’t seen as many as I would like to. I have run into a few over the years, but I have been pretty bad at keeping in touch. I was in touch with Dave Lawrence and J.K. Jones for a while when I first moved to Georgia, but with hectic lives, it is easy to loose touch. I wish I had done a better job of staying in contact.

Tat: Do you ever find the time to "do the music thing"?
David: Again, sadly, not as often as I would like too! I consider myself more of a “patron” of music now rather than one who gets to actually perform it. I attend the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performances regularly which are amazing. I also go to New York, a few times a year, to attend some Broadway shows. My most recent trip to New York was in December, where I saw an amazing show called “Wicked.” Occasionally, I still get asked to sing at weddings.

Tat: You've done a lot and are doing a lot. Any advice for active chapter members that may be reading this?
David: The biggest thing I learned while in Phi Mu Alpha (at the collegiate level) is that the more you give to Sinfonia, the more Sinfonia gives back to you.

Tat: How about advice for fellow alums?
David: My advice is to stay involved! I wish I had done a better job of that, but plan to become more active in the future.

Tat: How do you see the music education situation out in your neck of the woods?
David: Excellent! Being in a university setting, I see a tremendous amount of involvement in musical activities. The university has a great program that provides neighborhood music workshops for children at little or no cost. However, I am afraid these programs will not last long. With state education budget cuts looming, sadly, music and the other arts are always the first to suffer.

Tat: Parting shots or farewells...
David: Just a word of thanks for giving me the opportunity to share what has been going on in my life since leaving Troy and giving me the chance to reminisce about the good ole’ days. OAS,AAS, LLS!
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Down Memory Lane

Royce Robinson, Class of '94
My fondest memories as a Sinfonian at Troy were when we would do singing valentines. Don’t get me wrong, they were a train wreck from start to finish. Nobody wanted to sell them or sit at the table in the Adams Center. Nobody wanted to learn the music or carry around the flowers. Just the idea of singing in front of a crowd of our classmates to a beautiful girl that ordinarily wouldn’t give most of us the time of day would make some sick to their stomach. Multiply the humility by a thousand if the recipient was male. But every year there was always one or two moments where you would sing for the little old lady in the nursing home or at the hospital and you could see music bring joy to someone’s soul. It would make you so proud to be a Sinfonian and make you closer with the brothers there. The greatest of these moments was when the family of a lady we had sang for the year before asked the brotherhood to record “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” to be played at her memorial service. The family said she couldn’t stop talking about those handsome young men that came and sang for her. It’s just amazing that an act of kindness so small to you and me can mean so much to someone else.
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"High Notes"
Here you will find all the latest announcements from weddings to births. This month we would like to 'toot' our own horn and announce the births of Troy Mathew Speigner to Casey and Jennifer Speigner and Molly Victoria Miles to Frank and Julie Miles. (Click on link to see picture)

Weddings:
Scott Grossman - April 23
Scott Snell - May 14 (Foley, AL)
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Province Workshop 2005

Ben Cunningham, Epsilon Nu, Special to the Tat

Greetings from the Brotherhood at Epsilon Nu, and the rest of Province 34!

While alumni may not have been at the Province 34 workshop at Jacksonville State University in large numbers, we were a big topic of conversation. The fraternity desperately wants to bring us alums back into the fold, and the province hatched a couple of ideas toward that end during the workshop Jan. 7-9.

First off, things are going to change at 34’s next statewide meeting on April 9. The annual Province Council Meeting will become an outdoor sports day/barbecue/get-together/ … well, let’s just say we kept adding so many slashes we nicknamed the event “The Province 34 Slash.” All the boring business stuff will be saved for the end of the day, after we’re all funned out. We hope alumni from all chapters will turn out in big numbers, and perhaps whup the collegiates in softball, Frisbee, flag football, etc.

The location is yet to be determined, but the date is set, so mark it now: Saturday, April 9. We do expect, of course, that EN & IN will have the highest alumni turnout. Prove us right!

Also, all the chapters in the state are beginning to share ideas on contacting alumni. Unfortunately, some chapters haven’t kept up with the “old boys” as well as JSU and Troy have. If you happen to know an alumnus from another chapter, please pass his name and contact info onto the Tattler staff or to me, and we’ll get it where it needs to go.

Thanks, Hail Sinfonia, and whup whoever needs whuppin’,

Ben Cunningham
EN Alumni Sec.
alumni@jsusinfonia.org

P. S. John Mitcham, IN President, is the newly elected ACPR for 2005 - 2006.
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Link Dump
Travis Bryant, Tattler Staff

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.

• What? You’re budget has been slashed? Administrators are ignoring your music program’s needs? They think that everything is fine and rosy? Well don’t give them the old one-finger salute! Suck it up Soldiers of Sinfonia, load your weapon of common sense and fire back!
  Check out this link http://supportmusic.com/rateyourschool/standardsquiz.html
  Answer some quick questions and see how your program stacks up against federal standards and national averages. Then take those numbers back to the powers that be and watch them stutter!
• While you’re waiting on a response from the suits, jam out! Christmas is over and Santa’s elves want to serenade you. Write your own stuff or load a submitted loop. Where were these guys during singing valentines all those years ago?
  http://www.zefrank.com/xmas/
• While you have the beat of your own music thumping in the background, go say hello to Iota Nu alum Shay Watson. He’s kicking it in Tennessee doing the music thang while tunes he’s writing are climbing the European charts!
  http://www.shaywatson.com/
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Troy University Happenings and Events
Scott Erb, Tattler Staff

• General Info:
Do you want to know more about what is going on at your university, your alma mater? Click on the following link to subscribe to many listservs to keep you updated on events, athletics, radio and much more.
https://tsutech.troyst.edu/cgi-bin/dlentry.pl

• TROY Athletics:
The Troy Trojans had an incredible season this year. They faced some tough challengers and overcame adversity while earning upsetting wins and coming so close a few more times. The Trojans looked into their opponents eyes and told them we’re not afraid, so bring it meat! The Trojans faced NIU at the 5th Annual Silicon Valley Football Classic on Dec. 30, 2004. This was a remarkable opportunity for the University and something the players richly deserved. As football season came to a close, basketball season picked up for the Trojans. Click on http://www.troytrojans.com/ for more information about schedules and times..

• Activities:
For more information about the concert or other student activities, please click on www.troy.edu/uac .

• “Sound of the South”:
New Sound of the South Website: Its finally here, the “Sound of the South” website (www.soundofthesouth.org) Check it out for the latest updates and events happening with the Sound of the South. Also, if you haven’t already, click on the forum and communicate with alumni and current members of the SOTS. It’s free to use and a great way to have healthy and live conversations about all topics that interest you.

Iota Nuws:
As mentioned before, we were glad to announce 15 new probationary members to the Iota Nu Chapter. Due to grades and family reason our once 15 have turned to 6 young men ready to face the call of duty. Hopefully they will continue the traditions that we set before them and carry them 'on and ever upward'! Keep coming back for more updates on what's happening at Iota Nu. (We will list Big Bro/ Lil Bro in our next issue.)
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• Friday, Januray 14 @ 8:00pm
• Friday, Januray 21 @ 10:30pm
• Friday, Januray 28 @ TBA

• Saturday, February 5 @ TBA
• Friday, February 11 @ 9:00pm
• Wednesday, February 23 @ 7:00pm
• A-Sun Men's Tournament (Feb. 24-27)

• Friday, March 4 @ 9:00pm
• A-Sun Women's Tournament (Mar 10-13)
• March 19 - 26, Spring Break