May 2006

Vol.2 Issue 8

 

 

The Downbeat

Happy Birthday Iota Nu

Q&A: Damon Anderson

Pen Mightier than the Baton

Province Slash 2006

Memory Lane: David Lowery

Notes in the key of Troy

High Notes

Link Dump

Calendar/Events

 

Frank Miles, Tattler Editor

frank@sinfoniantattler.com

 

 

Scott Erb, Tattler Staff

scott@sinfoniantattler.com

 

 

Phil Wilson, Tattler Staff

phil@sinfoniantattler.com

 

 

Tommy House, Tattler Webmaster

tommy@sinfoniantattler.com

 

 

Not Pictured:
Travis Bryant, Tattler Staff

travis@sinfoniantattler.com

 

The Downbeat

 

Frank Miles, Tattler Editor

 

 

For our collegiate brothers, the school year is winding down and finals have taken their toll.  For us alumni, though, the world keeps spinning, and the Tattler staff keeps spinning tales of Sinfonians past, present and future.

 

Iota Nu celebrates 46 years of Phi Mu Alpha on the Troy campus on May 12.  We’ll look back on the history of the chapter from a “Bird’s” eye view.  And we’ll show you how that same Bird has taken flight in other publications for the good of music.

 

Iota Nu’s new alumni secretary will tell us how the chapter ended the year and bring you a couple of amusing little stories that prove that the more things change, the more they stay the same.  We’ll report on the recent Province Council meeting and, of course, we’ll trek Down Memory Lane.  April showers are over; watch the May Sinfonian Tattler bloom!

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Happy Birthday Iota Nu

Michael Bird, Special to the Tat

The Object of this Fraternity shall be for the development of the best and truest fraternal spirit; the mutual welfare and brotherhood of musical students; the advancement of music in America and a loyalty to the Alma Mater.

The Iota Nu chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia was chartered on May 12, 1960 at Troy State College. At that time, there were no fraternities or sororities, social or professional, on the Troy State campus. Therefore, Phi Mu Alpha's Iota Nu chapter holds the distinction of being the first Greek organization on the Troy campus.

There were twenty-three members of that charter class:


Derrell Billingsley, Charles DiMichelle, Emory Erb, Charles Everage, Thomas F. Fowler, George H. Fulks, James E. Head, Gerald D. Jackson, Frederick M. Johnson, William O. Johnson, Dick A. Murphree, Russell M. Sena, Robert E. Shiftlett, Archie R. Shipp, Jerry N. Spann, Edgar S. Stewart Jr., Sidney M. Taylor, Bryant Tew, John P. Tucker, Gordon M. Ware, Roy W. Watford, Allan O. Williams, Erskine L. Ziglar

These men distinguished themselves as our founding fathers. The chapter sponsors were  Dr. Charles Farmer and Dr. James Patrenos (later Province Governor). These men, at the time, also directed the vocal and instrumental ensembles at Troy State, which included the Wavemen, the Collegiate Singers, and the Red Wave Marching Band.

By 1963, Sigma Alpha Iota had arrived for female musicians. The closeness between Phi Mu Alpha and SAI continues through today. For many years, both organizations shared a chapter room, room 208, in Smith Hall. This room is now the recording studio.

Many of those charter members continue to have influence over musical activities in and around the Troy area to this very day. Many became choral and band directors, who later sent students to Troy, who pledged Phi Mu Alpha and became Brothers. This type of family atmosphere has been encouraged in the Iota Nu chapter from the beginning.

The 1960s were a time of great change, both on the national and international scene and at local levels. Iota Nu grew by leaps and bounds in 1965 and 1966, when over 40 new brothers were added to the Fraternity's ranks. Johnny Long, who was the band director at Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery, Ala., was the recipient of the chapter's first honorary shingle in 1961. He became Troy State's new band director in 1965, and his aggressive recruitment of the finest musicians in the southeastern United States led Iota Nu, and the college, to unprecedented growth during the late 1960s. On December 1, 1967, by an act of the Alabama Legislature, Troy State College officially became Troy State University.

The 1970s also presented many new challenges as the Brotherhood grew. Dr. William R. Denison became the chapter advisor upon the retirement of Dr. Charles Farmer. Dr. Denison joined the TSU faculty in 1967 after earning advanced music degrees from the University of Michigan and Florida State University. Dr. “D” would prove to be a valuable asset to the Fraternity, and very influential in the high profile Iota Nu would soon achieve.

In 1974, the honorary band service fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, came to TSU. While they did provide some competition for students in the music department, the two organizations have, for the most part, coexisted peacefully and worked well together.

 

Phi Mu Alpha's growth was not deterred, and in 1975 another extremely large pledge class came through. This manpower enabled some big events to occur during this time, notably the Maynard Ferguson concert in 1975. Phi Mu Alpha's brothers were very active in all departments at TSU, but especially in the expanding music department, which included the Opera Workshop (now Musical Theatre), Collegiate Singers, Madrigal Singers, Reading Band (now Symphony Band), Gospel Choir, Sound of the South Concert Band, the Sound of the South marching band, the Jazz Ensemble and many other musical organizations.

The decade of the 1980s saw a decline in Fraternity membership, but not in activity.   Still the leaders in the music department, Phi Mu Alpha always represented the best in music at Troy. A move toward a more professional probationary membership began during this time, which served to elevate the image of Phi Mu Alpha as a professional, rather than social, organization.

1987 saw the 100th birthday of Troy State University. In recognition of that fact, the Iota Nu chapter presented "100 Years of American Music," an outstanding presentation of all kinds of entertainment, at Smith Hall Auditorium. Groups from the University were featured prominently, but the real surprises and excitement were generated by the regionally recognized musicians who came to perform. The Fraternity seemed to be on the move again.

The 1990s were years of tremendous growth and change in Iota Nu. The 1993probationary class was as large as the 1965 and 1975 groups, and this infusion of new brothers breathed new life into the Fraternity. 1994 saw the first Phi Mu Alpha-sponsored Gospel Sing, and the Big Band Dances of 1991 and 1995 proved that Iota Nu had the ability and talent to put on just about any kind of show.

1996 was a watershed year, as the brothers traveled to the national headquarters at Evansville, Ind., to initiate the 1996 probationary members. As the brothers returned to their roots, they found new ways to merge the traditional with the modern techniques of membership education. Mr. John Jinright came on board as the new faculty co-advisor, and helped to implement many new policies and procedures.

The School of Fine Arts was consolidated with the Department of Art and Classics, the Department of Speech and Theatre, and the Hall School of Journalism to form the College of Communication and Fine Arts in 1997. The new School of Music at Troy State was named the John M. Long School of Music in 1998 to honor the Director of Bands Emeritus. These exciting new opportunities for musical advancement gave Phi Mu Alpha the chance to let its light shine full upon everyone.

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia celebrated its centennial in 1998. The Iota Nu Chapter is one of the brightest jewels in the national crown, and certainly in Province 34. Then-newDirector of Bands at Troy, Mr. Robert W. Smith, was commissioned to write a piece to commemorate the centennial convention in 1998. The work, "Spirit of Orpheus," emphasized themes heard in Sinfonia Songs and other Fraternity-related material. Mr. Smith's appointment as Director of Bands heralded a new era of musical achievement and accomplishment at Troy State University. Around the time of his hiring, it was estimated that 41 percent of all music played by bands in America had been composed or arranged by Robert Smith.

A lot has changed, but just as much has stayed the same. Dr. Denison retired in 2005, and the new chapter advisor became Dr. Jinright. There have been many new and exciting additions to the membership of the Fraternity, including a high-profile Ritual for our Chancellor, Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr. Sinfonians are well-known throughout the Troy area for their annual Singing Valentines, the Adopt-A-Highway project, and various concerts and performances in many venues around the southeastern part of Alabama.

During the 1999-2000 school year, the University changed to a semester system. All probationary periods from this point forward have been in the Spring semester. Also, as membership in Phi Mu Alpha has grown, so has membership in the band and choral programs. Mr. Ralph Ford became the Director of Bands in 2001, and Mr. Paul McGahie became Director of Choral Activities in 2003. When Dr. Denison retired, a national search found Dr. Larry Blocher, a renowned conductor and author, to become the Director of the John M. Long School of Music. In addition, the school's name became Troy University officially during the 2005-06 academic year.

After forty-six years as a chapter, we can stand proudly behind our accomplishments as we face the future, always working toward finding "the best in others for the good of
all."

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Q&A: Damon Anderson IN’94

 

Phil Wilson, Tattler Staff

Look out Emeril – there’s a new chef in town, and he ain’t no novice. Damon Anderson has been cooking for a large part of his life and loves it. He currently lives and teaches in Athens, Ga. and enjoys baking as a side business. Get reacquainted with Brother Anderson.

 

Tattler: What year were you initiated into Phi Mu Alpha? 

Damon: I was initiated on March 11, 1994.

Tattler:  What attracted you to Phi Mu Alpha?  

Damon: My high school band director is a Sinfonian. Also, on a visit in the spring before arriving at Troy, I met many of the brothers. They were very friendly and answered questions about the Fraternity. One big influence was when I met Spence Salter, who would later become my Big Brother.

Tattler: What offices did you hold while you were active? Which was your favorite and why? 

Damon:  I held the offices of President, Fraternity Education Officer, and Historian. I think my favorite would have to be FEO. To be in charge of what was to be the future of the chapter was an amazing experience. We also took the probationary members to be initiated at Lyrecrest. That was an experience that I will take with me for the rest of my life.

Tattler:  I was fortunate to be a brother with you in the chapter room and recall many fun and not so fun meetings. What is your greatest memory of the Chapter room?  

Damon: I think the greatest memory would have to be the times when we were voting on whether or not to offer the prospective probationary members a bid.  Yes, the meetings were, on many occasions, long and tedious, but the experience was still great.

Tattler:  What occupation do you have now? Does this job use any skills learned in the fraternity? Where do you currently live? 

Damon:  I teach at St. Joseph Catholic School in Athens, Ga. I teach Middle School Band and Elementary Music. A skill that I learned in the Fraternity that I still use is how to conduct yourself in a formal meeting.  It definitely was good training for sitting through faculty meetings and in-service conferences.

Tattler:  I understand you are some baker; as a matter of fact, I was told that you are the man when it comes to baking (cakes especially). How did this love come about?

Damon:   I have been cooking since I was in the 2nd grade. I lived with my grandparents. My grandmother is by far the best I cook I know. I spent a lot of time with her in the kitchen.  I started getting into baking pretty seriously about 6 years ago.

Tattler:  What types of cakes do you bake?

Damon: I make birthday cakes, cheesecakes, and wedding cakes. I actually have a side business where I sell desserts and pastries.  I made my first wedding cake for my sister when she got married last December.  This summer, I have my first job at catering a wedding.  Along with making the bride’s and groom's cakes, I will be preparing all the food for the 250 anticipated guests.

Tattler:  Are there any specific brothers you would like to give a shout-out to? 

Damon: My Big Brother Spence Salter, and my Little Brothers Joey Mitchell, Josh Robertson, and Don Jones.

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The Pen is Mightier than the Baton

Travis Bryant, Tattler Staff

It doesn't matter where you live; somewhere nearby, you can buy a newspaper. Newspapers are daily cultural collections and snapshots of what's going on in our little corners of the world. And one of your Iota Nu brothers has figured out how to use papers to promote music.

 

Brother Michael Bird (IN '94) has been a band director for nine years. In 2006, he started writing for the Tallassee Tribune.

 

"I always enjoyed working for WTBF in Troy, and the wanna-be journalist inside of me has always written on the side,” said Bird. "This is just the first time I have been given a weekly column. I gave them a sample column in December, and I was hired in January."

 

He says it's not hard to come up with story ideas. All he does it write about things that all Sinfonians have thought about at some time or another. Whether they be "greatest hit lists" or "the local band scene" or "rap music."

 

"I listen to a lot of radio, read Rolling Stone and GQ and other pop culture magazines," he said. "I study the top 40 charts and MTV to see what's selling. It will surprise you!"

 

Michael says that anyone could crank out less than 500 words a week with a little drive and inspiration. All you have to do to promote music in your corner of the world is contact your paper and offer your services.

 

"Start writing! The Montgomery Advertiser called me recently to do a review column for a Symphony performance," he said. "There is always someone out there wanting an arts-related perspective from someone, but very rarely do people in the arts community (especially in small towns) step up and speak their minds. It was important to me to show how you can be a music teacher, brag on what's happening with the show choir or majorette line or whatever – and then talk about subjects that people may find interesting."

 

Bird says being a band director is what keeps him motivated and pounding on the keyboard.

 

"Each day, I am in contact with teenagers who are immersed in their iPods, mp3 players, illegal peer-to-peer downloads, etc," Michael said. "I like to know what they are listening to, because there are times when I can take something new and use it in a lesson. Music is everywhere and it is a part of everyone's life. It may be in the background, and an article like mine helps bring it forward, for at least 500 words."

 

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Province Slash 2006

Scott Erb, Tattler Staff

How long has it been since your last province meeting? One year, two years, twenty years? Times have changed since you last met with the province. Last year, the province agreed that something needed to be added to the meeting. Being spring, a time for jovial spirits and fellowship, Province 34 decided to make a fun day out of its spring council meeting. The Spring Slash was born. This gives the chapters a way to interact on a social level before the meeting.

 

This year, brothers returned to Oak Mountain State Park where there is a plethora of things to do such as grilling, canoeing, ultimate Frisbee, or just walking around the mountain.

 

After 3 to 4 hours of fellowship, the meeting was underway. Tony Cowan, Province Governor, wasn’t able to attend so I as Deputy PG, and John Mitcham, CPR – Elect, ran the meeting.

 

The meeting was very productive. Our Province Alumni Coordinator, Frank Miles, spoke on the importance of alumni involvement.  Frank said it is our purpose in the Province to improve alumni relations by training the active brotherhood to be true Sinfonians in the future, after college.

 

He bragged about “The Sinfonian Tattler” and hopefully inspired the other chapters to take the challenge and work on improving their relationship with alumni.

 

I won’t bore you guys with detailed minutes of the meeting, but we wanted to let you know that everything in the Province is running smoothly. Tony has been a great resource to help our province to move “On and Ever Upward!”

 

Here are some upcoming events you might be interested in. Meetings, workshops or any gathering of the province are not just for actives, but for EVERY Sinfonian. Past, present, and future.

 

The 2007 Province Workshop will be held at the University of Alabama. Many wonderful and exciting events are being help at this workshop. You won’t want to miss it.

 

The tentative date for the fall Province Council meeting is Sunday, September 10.

 

Please check the Province 34 website http://www.mysticcat.org/~province34/ for new information regarding province news and events. We are in the process of updating its look and feel and welcome your comments and suggestions.

 

Overall, the Slash was a success and fun was had by all. Help us reach out to alumni next year so it can truly be an event for all generations of Sinfonians!

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Down Memory Lane: David Lowery

Phil Wilson, Tattler Staff

 

 

 

It is hard to imagine that 10 years has past since I graduated from Troy. Time really flies! It is quite often that I think back upon my time at TSU and the pleasure of being a part of such a great fraternity like Phi Mu Alpha. More often than not, I find myself smiling or even slightly chuckling reminiscing about the good times that I had and that many of you shared with me.

 

In just writing this, memories are flooding back. Memories like running around the city of Troy and the campus doing “Singing Valentines,” car washes, late night dinners at Subway, the Gospel Sing, and always the immense pride of singing the National Anthem with my brothers at various events. The list could go on and on.

 

I especially remember living at “The House of Beef,” but I don’t think it was called that then. That was an experience! How could it not be? We had five people living in one house, with tons of guests, and a sink that always had dirty dishes in it. I don’t think we ever cleaned the bathrooms, but it was always great fun to live there.  Except, of course, when the utilities “forgot” to get paid!!!!

 

I have traveled the world but I don’t think I have found a more culinary delight than Crowe’s Chicken and that sauce to dip it in!! Oh yeah, and I think I still may have some cancelled checks for the $1.98 Trojan Special at Mister J’s (later T-Bob’s). What a deal!! A hamburger, fries, drink, and dessert for less than $2.00!

 

Phi Mu Alpha means so many things to me. One thing is that I was always awestruck at the sheer amount of talent that we had within our group. What a privilege it was for me to be able to call and to still call such a talented group of men my brothers. It is not surprising to me at all that many of the brothers have become quite successful in their musical careers. Many are involved in composition, performance, and to me the most important, education and the passing of the love of music on to others.

 

Another thing is the brotherhood itself. Even thought we may have had different backgrounds, or ways of looking at the world, we were all bonded by our love of music. So many of the brothers influenced me and made a profound impact on my life. I have always appreciated the way in which my big brother, Mark Nichols, guided me during my probationary period. I never really thanked Mark. I guess I learned much later to appreciate what he and others did in shaping my life and making my journey to brotherhood easier. Mark, along with brothers like Vince Jackson, Dave Lawrence, J.K. Jones, Burt Pitts, Shane Wilson, Preston Frazier, Jason Howell, and countless others will always have my debt of gratitude. The brothers of Phi Mu Alpha not only taught me about the love of music, but also taught me great life lessons concerning friendship and what that truly means.

OAS AAS LLS.

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Notes in the Key of Troy

Lance Holman , Iota Nu Alumni Secretary

Battle of the Bands

 

We held the fourth annual Battle of the Bands on April 27. It was awesome. It could have ended very badly, though. At the last minute three bands dropped leaving us with one left. Not much of a battle really, but a good fund raiser at least. We pulled it off by hiring a band to play along with using a couple of exhibition bands and the one band that stayed with us. We ended up making enough money to pay off our debts and even come out in the green a little. I would like to thank the committee leader and new vice president, Martin Sager, and the rest of the Battle of the Bands committee for making the event possible and staying focused through the rough times we had.

 

New Officers

 

President- Edward McFarland

Vice President- Martin Sager

Treasurer- Adrian Smith

Secretary- Chris Hall

Alumni Secretary- Lance Holman

F.E.O. - Martin Sager

Warden- Ronnie Echols

Music Director/Historian- Scott Sexton

Faculty Advisor- Dr. Jinright

 

American Composers Concert

 

On April 26 we held our annual American Composers Concert here in Troy. The show was organized by our old music director Mark Turner and included several really good pieces of music. We sang a combination of Brotherhood songs along with “O Magnum Mysterium” and the “Testament of Freedom.” There was also a performance with instruments to the tune of Chicago. Mark Turner did a great job in organizing the performance and I would like to thank the rest of the brotherhood for coming out and making the performance great.

 

On an even better note, I would like to thank Epsilon Delta for their help and participation with us down in Mobile and Pensacola on April 23. We went down there and performed the songs that we used in the American Composers Concert. It is really nice to see chapters working together and that are willing to take their time to help out another chapter. I am glad that they were willing to join us and I think it’s great that such a young chapter is getting out and doing things. I would also like to thank Epsilon Delta for their hospitality and lodging. Thanks guys and I hope we see you again soon.

 

Last Meeting of Iota Nu Chapter for the Semester

 

Our last meeting will be held on April 30. I hope that this last meeting of fellowship will be fun and enlightening. We have a big year ahead of us next semester and a lot to do. Thanks guys for making this a great year or since I crossed anyways. Have fun and everyone have a great summer!

 

Random Stories of the Month

 

The Trek to Epsilon Delta

 

Our first story takes place on the ride down to Epsilon Delta. I rode with Justin Amaro in his two-door blue Ford Escort ZX2. For those who know what that is you are well aware of how small it is. Justin and I are both heavy set people weighing in around 250 pounds each. Now that would not have been so bad if the pounds just stopped here…

OH NO…it didn’t stop there!!!

 

Accompanying us was Aaron Slayback and Martin Sager, both like me and Justin in weight. Oh, I almost forgot about Jack Gillis, too. He weighs about 130 pounds. Now let’s look at the weight of the car. A Ford Escort ZX2 weighs in at about 2,500 pounds.  Our total weight is well over 1,000 pounds, almost a third of the vehicle’s weight on top of itself; ever heard of the DANGER ZONE or RED ALERT???!!!  Yeah…we were there! On top of that we had to endure the smells of my beef jerky and the gases of Justin Amaro. Please tell me this isn’t the fattest thing you’ve ever heard!!!

 

A Story of Fat People Overcoming Impossibly Normal Tasks

 

Our second story takes us back to the week before Battle of the Bands. Me and my colleague Martin Sager set out on an epic journey to put up fliers across campus for Battle of the Bands, a journey that would take any normal man only about thirty minutes or so to do. Our journey took an hour and a half. Many perils and conquests approached us along the way. It began as Martin and I headed toward the Math and Science Complex where we proceeded to “get rid” of the older fliers others had put up and replace them with our own. Afterwards we headed to the history department where we found some snacks a professor left out on their counter. They had already left and there was a good chance they would have been thrown away by the janitor anyways so the fat people that we are we decided to partake. After a not so quick snack, Martin and I headed over to the computer labs where we were approached by some crazy professor…or so I thought he worked at the school. He proceeded to tell us how messed up our world is and how he could make millions of dollars by making a show about cavemen. Luckily there are some in our chapter who could star in the show if he ever did create it. Anyways, after a mind draining session with the stranger we decided to finish up our duties and leave. I spent the rest of the time embarrassing my Big Brother Martin.

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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.

We've got some links for you this month here in da' Dump! So let's spring into May with our first one...

 

The rockin-tiki-god-island-guitar-shredding guy. You need to turn up your speakers and check this out. Let me say that again, you need to check this out. It's WAY too cool for you not to play with. When you first get to the site there's an intro, blah, blah, blah. You can watch or skip it. Your goal is to get to the "lesson and Jam” part where you can control Mr. Fastfinger! It's too cool. By hitting keys he plays different riffs and guitar bits. The screen also shows you the tabs. You can also print any tabs that this guy shreds out for you. That's pretty neat. But you can also change the pitch and zoom in on the guy's fingers as he plays.

 

Everything is said to be accurate too. So (in case I haven't said it yet) check it out. It's even fun for those of us that don't know the difference between a guitar and sitar.

http://www.guitarshredshow.com/


We all know about the U.S. influence all around the globe. The world is hungry for its McDonald’s burgers and Coca-Cola drinks. Not to mention the MTV. But click on over to the latest American ambassadors of good will: Bill and Ted!

 

That's right; the only part that Keanu Reeves did well has become quite the musical sensation in the land of kilts and sheep. "Bill and Ted's Excellent Musical Adventure" was first performed in Scotland and has since been seen/heard in merry old England.

 

So if you're curious enough, get your air guitar ready and click over and listen to the whole soundtrack and read the script at:

www.billandted.org/musicalhome.htm

Whoa, Excellent!


Last but not least, we close out this edition of the Tat's Link Dump with another gem.

 

This one is for you folks who like to keep up with music from a cultural aspect.

 

www.coverville.com is a site and internet radio show produced by some guy in Colorado holed up in his basement.

Basically he covers covers. That is any pre-released/recorded/sung tune that is back in play. Whether it be a commercial or band or that putz on American Idol.

 

Does that new tune for the VW commercial sound kind of familiar? Well Coverville digs up the facts. Who did it, when, what album, etc. He produces three shows a week. Each show is 35 minutes long and contains six songs. And it's all free for your listening pleasure. He puts everything in MP3 "podcasts." But like all podcasts, you can just download to your desktop and listen on any computer.

 

You can even send him a request ("Hey, I just saw this commercial and I know that tune... what is it?") He’ll file it away and play it on an upcoming show.

 

The past few shows are pretty good.

 

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Scott Erb, Tattler Staff

 

May 12th – Chapter Day

 

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All photo credits belong to their respective sources.

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