May
2005
Vol. 1, Iss. 9
Staff:
Frank
Miles, Editor
Scott
Erb
The
Downbeat As the saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers.” New and budding life is in the air at the Tattler. Maybe we are even budding a little. Keep an eye out in future issues for new talent that is joining our cause. As we dive into May, we are reminded of a wonderful school year for all you educators out there. Another year of Sinfonia has passed, not only with the initiation of six new brothers, but also with many additions to our High Notes including weddings, babies and other notable achievements. As always,
our focus is on alumni. The new Province Alumni Coordinator will
address the troops for the first time. You'll read about
the man who asked the hard questions when you were pledging.
To top it all off, we will give you a rundown of what's going
on this summer in Troy and with Iota Nu. We hope you have a great
May and a great summer!
Recently, I was appointed as Province Alumni Coordinator for Province 34. Many thanks to Province Governor Tony Cowan for the opportunity. As PAC, I will be expected to establish and reestablish relationships with alumni Sinfonians residing in the province and get alumni involved in Phi Mu Alpha. This will be a huge task! In order to accomplish this, I will need as much assistance as I can round up. I will assemble a team of alumni from across the province to help develop ideas and programs. If you are interested in being on the team, please let me know at frank@sinfoniantattler.com. All I ask is that you have Internet access and a willingness to do what is necessary – be a cheerleader, musician, organizer, activist, philanthropist, whatever it takes. One of our long-term goals is to establish an alumni association in Province 34, maybe even two. However, I’d like to approach the goal in a short-term way, on a smaller scale. I would like for each of the collegiate chapters to establish an alumni “club.” As it is my home chapter, I would love to see Iota Nu take the lead in this endeavor. Eventually, we will bring the clubs together to form an association. But for now, let’s see how we can do on a “regional” basis, if you will. I am looking
forward to serving the province and the fraternity through this
unique and exciting opportunity. If you have any ideas, comments,
suggestions, questions or even constructive criticisms, please send
them to frank@sinfoniantattler.com.
The
Burning Question: What Can I Do? When Derek Danilson first heard about Phi Mu Alpha, he was working at a fast food restaurant, just like any ordinary high school student. “One of my managers there was, and is, a Sinfonian and knew I was planning on studying music in college. He talked to me a lot about the organization and what it stood for. I knew then that I wanted to check out Sinfonia once I got to campus.” As he was being initiated into the Beta Nu Chapter at the University of Northern Iowa in the fall of 1991, Derek probably wasn’t thinking about how extraordinary his involvement in the fraternity as an alumnus would be. Derek serves the fraternity as Committeeman-at-Large on the National Executive Committee, a trustee on the Sinfonia Educational Foundation, governor of Province 27 and a member of the Alumni Affairs Committee. While he has risen through the ranks of Phi Mu Alpha’s leadership structure, Derek says there are plenty of other ways for alumni to continue travelling the paths. “It really is up to the alumnus on how he wants to remain involved. Ideas such as a speakers bureau and mentoring program have been discussed and could be implemented in the future. We also continue to need alumni to participate by supporting the Sinfonia Educational Foundation. The Foundation exists primarily to ensure that future generations of Sinfonians have the same opportunities that we had as collegiates.” Derek also hopes that more and more alumni associations pop up across the country. He’s got some pretty good ideas on how to make an association work: • Identify
a core group of members who are willing to work to get a group off
of the ground. This group should be at least 4-7 people and end
up serving as officers in most cases. The National Executive Committee works with the national staff to ensure that the fraternity runs smoothly to develop initiatives that will improve the fraternity. Derek says a lot of what the NEC does is less than glamorous, such as working on budgets and hearing appeals of the actions of the Commission on Standards. But there’s also some very exciting work being done, like developing a comprehensive alumni program. Derek says the Alumni Affairs Committee was given a huge charge at the start of the current triennium and has made incredible progress. “One of the recommendations from the committee led to the establishment of a dedicated staff member for alumni affairs. (The committee also developed) new resource guides for alumni associations, province alumni coordinators and chapter alumni secretaries. They have also made several presentations to the province leadership and have visited workshops to further talk about alumni issues.” The committee continues to work on developing ways to enhance the transition from collegiate brother to alumnus and keep alumni involved in the fraternity after their collegiate experience has ended. While Derek plays euphonium and baritone for a brass band in New Jersey, he is living proof that you don’t have to be a musician by trade to be a true Sinfonian. Derek uses his skills as a senior information technology auditor to help companies comply with a variety of legislation. What is even more important than the skills each Sinfonian can bring to the table, though, is getting every Sinfonian to the table. “The key
for us to be successful in building a comprehensive alumni program
is to reconnect and build relationships with our alumni. We can't
do this from Lyrecrest alone and rely heavily on our volunteers
at the chapter and province level to do this. Through these efforts,
our members will realize that Sinfonia is truly a lifetime experience.”
Notes
in the Key of Troy Forty-five years ago this month, something happened that would change the lives of more than 500 people. On May 12, 1960, a group of men assembled to charter the Iota Nu Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. As I sat at the Denison retirement banquet, which by the way was very successful, I started thinking about all of the brothers who had come before me; all of the brothers who helped me to have the opportunity to become a Sinfonian. It was once said that when an organization rises, it is because the new members are standing on steps placed by the people who had come before them. Thank you for all of the hard work that you have done for me and the rest of the brothers. I just hope that I create a sturdy platform for the fraternity to continue on and ever upward. Just to report on some chapter news, we had our award/ senior farewell banquet on the last Sunday of the school year. Here are the awards that were given and a short explanation of each: Brotherhood
Awards Brothers
to Probationary Members Probationary
Members to Brothers
Q
& A: Dr. Peter Howard Although this
man can’t call Troy [State] University his Alma Mater, he
sure can call it his home. You never had Dr. Howard as a music professor,
but you have to be inspired by his extraordinary involvement with
music. This month we are proud to interview Dr. Peter Howard. Tat:
What made you stay in education? Tat:
Sounds like you have a lot going on. What do you miss most about
college? Tat:
Do you ever find the time to "do the music thing"? Tat:
You've done a lot and are doing a lot. Any advice for active chapter
members that may be reading this? Tat:
How do you see the music education situation out in your neck of
the woods? Tat:
Parting shots or farewells...
Summer
Preview Summertime. Can’t you just smell the barbeque on the roaring grill; feel the cold water as you run thru the sprinklers? For you music educators out there, it means a few days of rest and relaxation before you think about next year’s show. For the rest of us working stiffs, it means work, work, and more work usually. For those guys with some free time we’ve decided to help you fill it. We have searched, analyzed, compiled and walked all over the earth (well, at least our fingers did some walking) to bring you this information for your enjoyment. We hope to see you there. You buy the popcorn and we will get the drinks. Enjoy! May
June Davis Theatre Events (http://montgomery.troy.edu/davis/default.htm) May 7: C. J.
Martin's Dance Factory recital 6:00 PM
Down
Memory Lane First off, I want to thank Frank for asking me to share a few words with The Brotherhood. When I e-mailed him back to tell him I would be proud to share a few thoughts with everyone, I mentioned to him that I believe that my claim to fame as a Sinfonian (at least in Into Nu) is that I’m the big brother of the infamous Frank Miles. The funny thing is…I was a late-in-life college student and didn’t arrive at Troy until 1986 at the ripe old age of 23. After a year, all of the new students thought I had been there forever. As it turns out, I graduated in three years and Frank WAS there forever?. In looking back, I think that Frank (and many others) had the right idea and I believe I would have taken things a little slower and enjoyed college life even more (and those of you that were there know that I managed to have a pretty good time while I was there anyway) if I had it to do over again. There were so many great things about being a Sinfonian during my years as an undergraduate, but I assured Frank I wouldn’t get too long winded, so I’ve tried to narrow things down to a few. I have as many memories and thoughts about Phi Mu Alpha rolling around my head as Michael Bird, so believe me it took some serious thought to try and be as concise as possible. One of the moments that really stands out to me occurred on February 14, 1988. I had basically skipped class (other than band) for two days to go out and perform “Singing Valentines” all over Troy and Pike County. The chapter had just adopted this project and I was determined that it would be a success. Thanks to the late Bill Buchannon, we had made the big time and gotten publicity on TSU-TV, and the husband of former SAI Chapter Advisor and faculty member Mary Collier Mims had gotten us on the radio as well. The phone was ringing off the hook and it was becoming difficult to find the time (and enough brothers) to make all of the requests, but at the end of the day we had one request left. Mary had asked us to go and sing for Mrs. Ervin, who was a retired faculty member that was bedridden and lived down the street from Dr. Long. If memory serves me correctly, I, along with Scott Yeilding, Tim Sims, and Rob Ivey, drove over to Mrs. Ervin’s house to sing for her. When we rang the doorbell, her nurse answered the door and responded that Mrs. Ervin wasn’t having a good day and suggested that we might try to come back another time. However, Mrs. Ervin asked who we were and when she found out that some Phi Mu Alpha brothers were there to sing for her, she insisted that we come in. We surrounded her bed and sang “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” and “Moonlight Bay” and she seemed to immediately brighten up, and insisted on sharing a song with us as well. When we left, I had completely forgotten about how tired I was. My initial reasons for bringing up the project were to promote the fraternity on campus and in the community (along with making some much needed money), but I immediately realized that we had made so many people happy that day through sharing our love of music. On a lighter side, there was the one guy whose wife asked that we go sing for (out at the Ansell plant of all places), but all concerned even managed to get through that one as well. In 1992, initiation was held at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church here in Smiths Station, with everyone returning to my house after the ceremony. Between The Brothers and “JABS,” there were probably 25 people spending the night. After everyone had finally passed out somewhere about 6 a.m., I decided to go to bed, only to find that my little brother decided to occupy it instead. Even though I had to sleep on the floor with most everyone else, I remember how cool it was to me to have just a little taste of what the active brothers were involved in every day again. Even though it has been 18 years since I crossed over (WOW…..it doesn’t seem that long ago), I still try to utilize the standards of the fraternity every day. I personally see about 250 kids daily, and it means so much to try to give them a little of what we shared as brothers. I’ve had several students that are now Sinfonians. They saw the shingle and paddles in my office (Frank’s as well as that of my other little brother, Jeff Ellis, BD at Elba HS), but it’s really cool when they come back after crossing over to let me know that NOW they understand. In closing, my only regret is not getting to see the brothers as much as I would like. I have the good fortune of seeing Scott Yeilding often as he lives here in town and we serve as music director/pianist in the same church (although I don’t see him nearly as much since he is a newlywed lol). I’ll see my other roommate Rae Denison occasionally for a few minutes while judging a contest or festival, and others like Rob Grice or Michael Bird at All-State or AMEA. If I have to be in Troy for something I’ll try to meet Tim Sims for lunch while I’m in town, and it was great to see John Paul Jones, Stanton Kelley, and Michael Jones at Scott’s wedding. You never realize that it’s so hard to get everyone back together when they all go their separate ways. I wish I could get the old house back at 101 Highland Ave. one more time and just have everyone over to grill out or let the pledges cook spaghetti for us one more time so I could lay on the floor and look like Jabba The Hut (for those of you that didn’t live it there is a picture of it in the scrapbook). Sorry for being
so long winded (I told you Frank). I haven’t even scratched
the surface of all those memories. Thanks to all of you who were
there that made it happen, as well as those before us who allowed
it to happen, and those after who continue to keep it happening
(especially Jim Brasher, who qualifies in all three categories?).
Hail,
Sinfonia, One More Time It was a night of joy and a night of sorrow. Probationary members come and alumni go, the fraternity’s ever-changing lineup evident on the faces of those in attendance. But the past, present and future of Iota Nu gathered together for a brief couple of hours to honor the one constant across most of the chapter’s 45 years. Dr. William R. Denison, more affectionately known as “Dr. D” to most of us, will retire at the end of this school year, and the Iota Nu Chapter held a banquet April 30 to say thank you for always being there. Faculty members, collegiate brothers and alumni all had a chance to speak and remembered the career of a true Sinfonian from very different points of view. They all agreed on one thing, though – whenever you needed help, Dr. D’s office was the place to go. Troy University Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr., Phi Mu Alpha National President Rich Crosby and Province 34 Governor Tony Cowan sent greetings and congratulations and Iota Nu presented Dr. D with a plaque for his service to the chapter and Sinfonia. Without a doubt, the highlight of the evening came in song as voices raised “Hail Sinfonia” under the direction of Dr. Denison. A fitting end to a fitting tribute. We could not possibly have said enough that night, so for every brother of the Iota Nu Chapter, thank you, Dr. D. Click
Here for Pictures
"High
Notes" Weddings: Preston
Fraizer (Class of '93) and his wife Diana are proud parents to a
son, Alex Preston Frazier. Both boys and mothers are doing great.
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
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See
you in the Fall!!! |