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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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It's another new year and time to reflect on the
foundations of the past as we mourn the passing of a very important Sinfonian. But
we'll also look ahead to what we can build on those
foundations. We've built another issue of the Sinfonian Tattler just for you, and even though it
might be a little short in quantity, it still delivers the same qualilty you've come to expect. You'll hear from
some brothers past, and look into the crystal ball of alumni involvement to
see how opportunities for you to help your fraternity may develop.
The Tattler staff wishes all of you and your families a most prosperous
2006!
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SINFONIAN ICON DAVID PLANK DIES AT 85
Reprinted from the Sinfonia
Discussion Group
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David T. Plank, Beta Phi (Baldwin-Wallace) '40, known
by generations of
Sinfonians around the
country, passed away on Sunday, January 1, 2006.
He was 85. His daughter, Stephanie
Plank Livengood, reported that
Brother Plank passed away at 3:00 p.m. "as he
listened to his favorite
music on the Moody Bible
Broadcasting Network out of Chicago."
Plank was a regular at Fraternity events such as
National Conventions
and Conclaves, and was known by many Sinfonians for his classic,
music-related puns, which he would "pun" off
on unsuspecting souls in
rapid-fire succession. In
February 2000, he led several hundred Brothers
in song during the largest annual gathering of Sinfonians, the Texas
Music Educators Association (TMEA) Sinfonia
Sing, in San Antonio.
Plank was the composer of many Sinfonia
songs, three of which are
featured in the current edition of Sinfonia
Songs:
Sinfonia (Sing, Brothers, Sing) (p.26)
Sing of Sinfonia (p.30)
Sinfonia Grace (p.85)
National President Richard Crosby commented,
"This is truly a sad day
for all Sinfonians.
No Sinfonian lived and breathed music every day
of
his life more than David
Plank. He will be sorely missed - but even
though he has left us physically, his spirit will be
with us always
through his fraternal songs.
I will always remember his spirit when I
sing 'Sing of Sinfonia.'"
Executive Director Ryan Ripperton
added, "David has always been the most unconditionally enthusiastic
Sinfonian I've ever met. Never one to be
involved in politics or policy, David showed up under
the Sinfonia
banner over and over again, there simply to share his
love of Phi Mu
Alpha Sinfonia."
On Friday, December 30, approximately forty Collegiate Province
Representatives, gathered at Lyrecrest
for the annual CPR Convocation,
sang "Sing of Sinfonia"
to Brother Plank by telephone after hearing that
his health was deteriorating.
Chapters, colonies, and alumni associations are asked
to sing at least
one of Plank's songs at their next meeting to remember
this honorable
Sinfonian.
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Passing
The Baton
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Michael Bird,
Special to the Tattler
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The formal pinning
ceremony is perhaps one of the most memorable moments in a Sinfonian’s college career. For me, it brings back thoughts of a
fall quarter filled with informal smokers, cookouts, football games, and
meeting and greeting guys with whom you aspire to someday become
Brothers.
I was more than fortunate
to receive a bid from Phi Mu Alpha, and I still
treasure my Formal Pinning invitation with the handwriting of Charles
Bernard Rawls, who was to be our FEO the next quarter.
Similarly, once you become a Sinfonian,
one of the greatest pleasures is pinning a new class of probationary
members in the fall. The last
pinning ceremony I attended was probably 10 years ago, so I was more than
happy to be asked to attend the pinning ceremony for the pledge class of
2006.
I was in Troy
for the Middle School SEUS honor band weekend when I heard that there
would be a Phi Mu Alpha event at Sorrell
Chapel. I hadn’t been there in
awhile, either, so I looked forward to going back. What made this so memorable is that,
for the first time in my nine years as a band director, one of my own
students had pursued becoming a Brother because of the Phi Mu Alpha memorabilia I had hanging on my office wall
while he was a student at Robert
E. Lee
High School.
This student, Michael Johnston, came up to me
after the Symphony Band concert on Thursday evening and asked me to
attend his pinning ceremony. I had
no idea that I would be a participant at this point. Michael was an All-State Red Band
trumpet player while he was in my band, but what dedication he had toward
his playing didn’t really ever hold over in his class work. So, I was proud that he was interested
in being a Sinfonian, because if there’s
anything being in Phi Mu Alpha will do for you,
it’s help you manage your time!
As I strolled into Sorrell Chapel for the pinning
ceremony on Friday, Dec. 2, I saw some new faces and some old ones. There was Jim Brasher helping to set
up, as always. The current
president, Justin Amaro, was giving
instructions and making sure everything looked just right. Before long, we were rehearsing "Sinfonia Hymn" and "Hail Sinfonia," with "On and Ever Upward"
thrown in for those of us who may have forgotten what a great song that
is. What surprised me was that I
remembered all the words, and I could recall the bass parts to all of the
songs!
We hummed Beethoven’s Sinfonia
Hymn as the candidates entered the chapel. That piece, of course, will have more
significance for them later. I
still got those chills when we were singing. What a beautiful song!
It came time for the probationary members to
receive their pins. The
Brotherhood circled the candidates for pinning, and stepped forward
one-by-one when each person’s name was called to be pinned. Michael didn’t know I was there,
because of course they couldn’t see us as they were led into the
ceremony. And, I have to tell you,
my heart swelled with pride as his name was called and I stepped forward
to pin my former student -- green side up and all.
Michael was surprised to see me, but he gave me a
knowing glance. This is but the beginning
of his journey, and I hope that he learns not only about time management,
but how to show respect for others and for all kinds of music. I hope that this experience, too,
encourages loyalty to his Alma Mater.
Phi Mu Alpha teaches us
so much about life, music, our college and our surroundings. You learn how to treat others with
respect. You learn to think
without saying you’re thinking.
You form tight bonds with your pledge class
that, despite time and distance, are never truly broken. The shared common experience makes you
a better, and more musicianly, man.
So, congratulations to Michael and to the pledge
class of 2006. May they soon find
out the meaning of the phrase, "work for Sinfonia
and Sinfonia will work for you."
OAS AAS LLS
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Death, Taxes and Alumni Dues
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Scott Erb, Tattler Staff
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Taxes and death are certainties. Should alumni dues be as well?
We all took an oath, a vow, a solemn promise to live
the ideals and purposes of Phi Mu Alpha. Most of us took this oath our freshmen
year of college. Most of us spent seven
semesters or 11 quarters as a brother.
As probationary members and active collegiate members, we learned
about the three powers of the fraternity.
They were Man, Music, and Money.
Let’s consider alumni dues. How many of us pay our alumni
dues? How many donate when they
can to the chapter, to the national fraternity? If you are like me, then the answer is zero. I am not proud to say this, but I
haven’t paid one cent of alumni dues.
I don’t know if it is because I keep forgetting, or because I
don’t know where the money is going.
What if we could pay dues to the chapter? Wouldn’t that benefit us Iota Nu alumni better than paying it to the National
Headquarters? What if we could pay
a “lifetime membership” fee as one large sum or in installments? Would we benefit more from this? Can we save money in the long run? Would some of the money go to the
chapters? If you have been reading
the national listserv (if you are not on it, you should be: www.sinfonia.org),
then you have probably noticed the discussion about a lifetime membership
fee. Here are some thoughts from a
couple of brothers about lifetime membership. (EDITOR’S NOTE: The National Fraternity, as far as I
know, is not currently considering a lifetime membership fee; we just
thought it would be cool to talk about it.)
Brother P.K. Truss from Pi Nu
actually crunches the numbers to show you an average of national alumni
dues each member should pay…
For example: A man is initiated during his
collegiate tenure and has paid his eight semesters of per capita taxes.
He has graduated and become an alumnus in good standing. Now he is
faced with the option of paying his voluntary annual alumni dues of $40
or becoming a "Life Member" for a very generous amount (I am
not exactly certain how this amount would be determined, but for example:
I'll say the average male graduates at age 22 and maybe dies at
age 80... alumni dues are $40.00 annually... assuming he will intend
to pay this amount each year it would be for 58 years... therefore
58 x $40 = $2,320. This
formula or whatever formula for determining the amount would not change
for any "non-traditional" collegian, i.e. a person graduating
at age 33 would still pay $2,320 if he wanted to become a Life Member.
Of course the rules in which he conducts himself would not change, therefore if he becomes suspended or expelled
for disciplinary reasons, the National Organization/Sinfonian
Education Foundation would just be thankful for his "very generous donation."
Then perhaps there could be a few incentives for having made such a large
sacrifice. For example: "his" registration fees for the
next two or three national conventions would be paid... not travel
or room expenses! He would receive a membership pin that maybe has
a different look or jewel set, etc.
This type of membership opportunity exists with some
other organizations. Therefore it is very much so
possible. Is there an interest within our Brotherhood? – Derrick
"P.K." Truss, Pi Nu
Brother Alex Peters from Iota Epsilon talks about his lifetime memberships
in other organizations:
I
would support the idea. I have
purchased life memberships in the alumni associations of both
UNC-Greensboro (undergrad) and UNC-Chapel Hill (law school). In both instances, the cost was
significant enough that I spread it over three or five years respectively
(the UNC-CH was a "couples" membership, so even more expensive). But it is well worth it over the long
haul.
Having
served on a university alumni board before, I can tell you that such a
program has pluses and minuses.
The minuses are that you do not have annual dues from these alums
to help with the annual operating budget, since lifetime membership
payments almost always go into an endowment or some similar fund where
they can earn money. The pluses
are the ability to build up that endowment (earnings from which perhaps
can assist with the operating budget, the care of Lyrecrest,
or some other helpful purpose), the convenience for alums, the reduced
need to solicit alumni dues every year, and the fact that you have these
life alums who may be more likely to support the Fraternity in other ways
and may be willing to use what they otherwise would for dues to support
the SEF or some similar Fraternity activity. The trick is setting the appropriate
cost – high enough to benefit the Fraternity as much as possible while
low enough to attract the most takers possible. Often, it works well to market it as a "graduation
gift" for new alums – Alec Peters, Iota Epsilon
So you there’s two brothers and their viewpoints on a
lifetime membership. This leads to
further discussion on this issue.
Would starting an alumni association be ideal? Would we then have a say in where our
money goes? Would we be willing to
have an alumni association? Would
we want the association to be chapter-based, province-based or regional-based? There are a lot of good questions out
there. I hope that maybe we have
helped you realize that Phi Mu Alpha needs our
support. We need all three powers
to thrive equally and to move on and ever upward.
Please notice that The
Sinfonian Tattler has not asked for a penny
(well, not yet at least… J
).
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Q & A: Jon Haga
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Tommy House,
Tattler Staff
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Tat: What year
were you initiated into Phi Mu
Alpha? What was your most
memorable experience?
Jon: Hello to everyone, this Jonathan Haga.
I was initiated in Phi Mu Alpha in 1993.
My most memorable experience was a culmination of the events
during pledge quarter when I finally realized that we had become a part
of the brotherhood and the wonderful music of initiation night that has
so much meaning and depth.
Tat: How would you rate your TSU experience?
Jon: Overall I would say my TSU experience was very rewarding
and I take pride in being a part of one of the best music programs in the
South that has great leadership (stemming from) Dr. Long's
legacy and musicianship.
Tat: What appealed to you about Phi Mu Alpha that made you want to become a member?
Jon: I was mostly drawn to the professionalism of the
organization. I valued the quality
of music performance and having accountability through regular music
performance.
Tat: What is your current occupation and what are you doing these days?
Jon: I am building a business through Primerica, a member of
Citigroup in which I help others to be become debt free and financially
independent and retire early. I
have been working hard since I began in July and my organization is
growing and moving forward. I am
happily married to my wife Wendy and we will be enjoying my second
wedding anniversary in February.
We are active in our church, First Baptist Church of Woodstock
where my wife sings in the choir and I play trombone in the orchestra.
Tat: Are you able to implement the
ideals that are taught in Phi Mu Alpha in your
everyday activities and/or career? If so, how are you able to do so?
Jon: Many of the ideals and values I learned in Phi Mu Alpha that promote excellence are also valued in
my company. We have a competitive
environment in which hard work is rewarded. I have always strived to have a great
work ethic.
Tat: How do you see the state of music education in our country
today?
Jon: I believe that are lot excellent programs that are
teaching competition. The arts are
beginning to receive the respect they deserve. Many of you may have seen the Macy's
Day Parade. One of the featured
bands there was Kennesaw
Mountain High
School that has set a very high musical
standard for a young program. I
believe they as well as other programs are beginning to compete on a
National level with schools like Lassiter. I believe that schools are beginning to
recognize the rewards of music programs and the positive impact it has on
education.
Tat: Do you have any shout outs, hellos or what's
ups?
Jon: I have lost contact with many of you, but I would love
to reconnect with those of you in and around the Atlanta area. I'm busy with my business and would
love to talk with you more about it.
Please call me at (404) 432-0676 or (770) 937-0086.
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Scott Snell
Scott Erb,
Tattler Staff
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 I guess I’ll start by jumping
on the bandwagon and say, “when Scott Erb asked me to do this…I didn’t
know exactly how to put into words my experience as a Sinfonian
at Iota Nu.”
Ironically enough, these words ring true as I sit and try to put
words to the incredible experience I was fortunate enough to undertake at
Troy State University. I have so many wonderful memories that,
at this point, I have no idea where to begin.
I suppose I could begin with how I became a brother in
the first place. After graduating
high school (’96), I worked in retail at a department store in a mall in Montgomery. I wanted to go to college but did not
have the funds to go to school full time. My best friend, Weston Burroughs, was
attending TSU and wanted me to meet a guy he knew from the university
whom I now know as Scott Erb. Erb
was a shoe salesman at the other mall. Weston told me the Scott was a brother
in a music fraternity that he was becoming a part of called Phi Mu Alpha. I
had no idea that there were even such fraternities! I was interested immediately!
I decided to go to TSU, against my father’s desire for
me to stay home. With student
loans and GI Bill as my only income, I decided to do what was in my
heart. The next fall, I gathered
up all my belongings (a recliner) in the truck and headed to Troy. Immediately, I began attending parties,
smokers, and functions without missing a single one. Eventually I became a brother of this
wonderful Fraternity and haven’t looked back since. At this point, all the memories rush
back for me. I attended Troy State for approximately six years.
How do you put that many memories
into a small article? (Sorry
Frank, I realize this must have been twice as hard for you!) The answer is…. you don’t. There is no possible way for me to look
back on the experience of being a Brother of Phi Mu
Alpha without feeling overwhelmed with a million emotions… some
wonderful, some terrible. Unfortunately, being here in Idaho, 2,000
miles away from my life in Troy, away from my friends, and fraternal
family…I do not see the buildings, the instructors (except a few), or the
band field. I see the faces of
friends, the moments I spent with various brothers learning about life
and each other, and having the brotherhood there (as we’ve all needed at
one time or another) when rough times hit us along the way, and at
last…singing the way we would when we all actually cared about the music
and cared about the man standing to your left and right, realizing that
the music was the one tie that bound us all together into “one great
brotherhood.”
There is no way for me to describe the wonderful, life
altering experience I was fortunate enough to be a part of! However, I would like to recollect on a
few of the million memories I have from my time in this wonderful
brotherhood at Troy
State.
Porch time with Erb; Lyrecrest
with my probationary “boys”(John, Joe, and Kevin) as FEO, Tim Lutz and
others raiding the kitchen there!; Waffle House with multiple mixtures of
brothers; cutting up in meetings; asked to leave meetings (Thanks Josh!);
Golfing (the painful sport); Joey Mitchell and the parties, HALO with the
fella’s, good times living on Elba Hwy; Rob Lyda (I’ll always be your GI F#*@^ Joe!), Nicky Bull
and our many late nights of drinking till we got stupid; Weston (too many
good times my friend); the impromptu trip to Six Flags; singing at
Sidelines, my bachelor party there (awesome!); Rob McFarland the million
fights, the million resolutions; TEABAGS!; Eli Odum…you’re
the man!; Jeff  Allen
living on my couch longer than any man alive without paying rent; washing
Frank Miles and Scott Kigerl’s dishes (OMG THE
HORROR) for drinking in my pin; Kevin Hyde (if you’re out there, I hope
you’re cock and balls are doing great); Johnny Brewer “The Speech”; Mitcham and the famous Train/paintball gun raid; Jerome
Williams (Big Bro) and our interesting conversations; Royce and
Travis…some of the most fun I’ve ever had was at your humble abode on Elm
St.; Mr. Ho’s…enough said; Randy Boone, you
always had such a fun loving attitude, I miss ya;
and finally, I can’t emphasize enough the remarkable quality of serious
porch time.
Brothers, if you didn’t read a bit of this long-winded
rant, read, “ponder” and remember this one thing: There is nothing so
special as a swing, a porch, and a friend. At this “cloistral” spot, you will
explore, recollect, and comprehend the many facets of our lives that
affect who we are, who we strive to be and how we get there. It’s at this spot you will learn about
others that no article, assignment, or party will ever teach you. Relish the moments sitting on a slow
creaking swing where the world is smaller and bigger than the both of
you, where the wind through your hair and a beer in your hand are all you
need to pass the time, and our thoughts can be
uncovered and explored without distraction. This is what I miss the most…and what I
most look forward to upon my return.
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The
Nominating Committee of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, chaired by Immediate Past
National President Dr. Darhyl Ramsey, met in
November 2005 to consider nominations for four National Executive
Committee positions open for election during the 2006 National
Convention. The Nominating
Committee is pleased to announce its selections for the official slate of
nominees for these important positions.
Other
nominations will be welcomed from the National Assembly floor during the
legislative sessions of the National Convention. For more information on the procedure
by which one can be nominated from the floor, please refer to the
National Constitution and/or contact the National Headquarters.
---Nominee
for National President---
Dr.
Richard A. Crosby, Eta-Omicron (Cincinnati) '75
---Nominee
for National Vice President---
John
A. Mongiovi, Upsilon Psi
(South Florida) '94
---Nominee
for Committeeman-At-Large---
Walter
C. Riley, Zeta Iota (Howard) '98
---Nominee for National Collegiate Representative---
Javier Betancourt, Xi Kappa (VanderCook) '00
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