Sinfonian Tattler - November 2006

November 2006

Vol.3 Issue 2


	The Downbeat
	Memory Lane
	1960-2006 Slideshow
	Q&A: J.C. Connor
	Pathways to Success
	Notes in the Key of Troy
	New “Village” On Campus
	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

Welcome to Homecoming 2006!

We begin this month’s Tattler with a special walk Down Memory Lane with three brothers who reflect on what Homecoming is to them. We follow that with our own special trip to the past through the images of Iota Nu over the years.

We’ll show you some changes you can expect on Troy’s campus when you come to visit this weekend, find out what the chapter is up to and bring you a special Homecoming Q&A.

We’ll also take a look into the future by showing you how you can network with other Sinfonians and get your business noticed. It’s all right here in the Sinfonian Tattler. Go Troy!!!

Coming Home... Down Memory Lane

Phil Wilson, Tattler Staff

Ahh… fall! Time for nature to shed its green skin and slide on the many hues of reds and oranges, and also time for the weather to change, preparing us for the coolness of the soon-to-come winter. Fall also signifies the gathering of generations upon generations of Troy alums at Movie Gallery Stadium for homecoming; the meeting of the old and the new. Our Memory Lane this month is a few simple thoughts/memories from brothers on their memories of homecoming.

Homecoming

The feeling of the crisp air
The food on the grill
The beer being consumed
The sound of the band
The noise of the crowd
The cheers for our team

The day of memories.

-Greg Waters, IN ‘00

Thoughts on homecoming:

Homecoming, to me, is a chance to become a student for a few hours again. Meeting up with the brothers and friends to reminisce about bad SAGA food, Alumni Hall fire alarms, perilous band trips, stories of having too much to drink, probationary membership, and other randomly strange stuff you may or may not have guilt about. These uniquely “Troy” memories taught me a lot in life, and I always look forward to revisiting the days of Alumni Hall and band for a few hours.

-Joe Ybarra, IN ‘02

My fondest memory of homecoming has to be my first year in the SOTS. We had been outside in the rain listening to RWS say, "The show must go on!" Then his umbrella turned inside out and he yelled, "Run! Quick under the bleachers!" When we got under the bleachers, everyone was moaning and groaning. Sam was complaining about his shoes, Carol was trying to get the scoop, it was all very entertaining. When we got back to the band room Johnny Brewer was about to impale a color guard girl and Dennis Kirby looked at me and said, "Hey let's go change and go back to the game!"

-Rob Lyda, IN ‘99

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Iota Nu 1960-2006 Photo Slide Show

Click to view presentation…

(large file please allow time to load)

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Q&A: J.C. Connor, IN ‘71

Scott Erb, Tattler Staff

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

J.C.: I was Warden for three years. I really enjoyed the position as I got to help organize all meetings and functions as well as oversee each (pledge) class. I was not always successful in maintaining order in the meetings which was one of the primary duties of the Warden way back then.

TAT: What year did you graduate and what was your major?

J.C.: I graduated from Troy in 1975 with a B.S. in History Education and music minor.

TAT: What were your fondest memories of Troy/ Sinfonia/ brothers etc.?

J.C.: We had a lot of brotherhood functions which included parties, outings, and even an every-Wednesday supper at a different brother’s house each week. We also were big in bringing performances to Troy such as Maynard Ferguson, Godspell, and Woody Herman. We sold out a couple of those performances and made a ton of money. My favorite memories revolve around our annual Homecoming display. We worked really hard on those displays and had a great time. Our “Ring Their Chimes, Kick’em In The Notes” display won in 1974.

TAT: What have you been doing since you left Troy? Where are you currently working and living?

J.C.: Since I left over 30 years ago, I’ve done a lot. After graduation I worked as a draftsman in a Troy millwork for a year before I moved to Crestview, Fla. to take a job as a teacher and part-time assistant band director at Richbour Jr. High. My best friend and Sinfonian, Joe Hooten, actually convinced me to go there as he was the band director. I had many wonderful years there working with the band and color guard and teaching social studies. I was also active in Drum Corps and Winter Guard serving as chief judge of Drum Corps South and President of Winter Guard International and the Gulf coast Color Guard Circuit. I got my Masters from the University of West Florida and eventually went into school district administration. I am currently the Chief Information Officer of the Okaloosa County School District and manage the Information Systems Department. I still live in Crestview.

TAT: How has your training in the fraternity influenced you in your career?

J.C.: The most important aspect of Sinfonian training is learning to work as a team and the importance of team building. My career experiences have been most affected by understanding that a team is greater than the sum of the individuals.

TAT: What is the music scene like in your neck of the woods?

J.C.: We have a very robust music program in our school district with our four major high schools marching over 200 members and a couple with more than 300. Along with very fine marching bands, the symphonic bands are really outstanding as are the jazz bands. The school vocal programs are also quite exceptional. We are also very fortunate to have two professional symphony orchestras close by.

TAT: You now serve on the Alumni Band Board. How did that come about?

J.C.: I helped establish the local TROY alumni chapter here and was very pleased with how active the chapter became. I was also very impressed with the amount of money and support the chapter could muster up for the University. Four or five years ago I talked with Ralph Ford about moving the “one meeting and one scholarship a year” Band Alumni Chapter towards an active year-round organization that could really develop some substantial support for the band. After one failed attempt, Ralph and the Band Alumni Board decided to really “put the hay in the barn” this year and I was honored to be appointed to the Board. I am very happy to say that the Alumni Board team, under the leadership of President Larry Wells, is really making a difference and getting things done. The Band Alumni Chapter now has a full time presence and is really starting to support the band program at TROY in a substantial way.

TAT: How has Sinfonia increased your purpose with music?

J.C.: Sinfonia really does make one aware of the important role that music plays in the enrichment of the human spirit. I have given a lot of myself to helping people access music in one form or another and have really found a purpose in that.

TAT: Please tell us about your family?

J.C.: I am very happily married to the former Sandy Baer of Ankeny, Iowa. She is a guidance counselor at Antioch Elementary in Crestview. We have one daughter, Sarah, who is finishing graduate school at TROY. Sarah played trumpet in the Sound of the South for four years and her new husband, Josh Solomon, is currently a tuba player in the band.

TAT: Who was the last Sinfonian from Iota Nu that you spoke to?

J.C.: I am fortunate enough to have maintained close contact with several Sinfonians. Tony Whetstone lives next door so I speak to him almost every day.

TAT: How has the fraternity impacted your life?

J.C.: Phi Mu Alpha has impacted me most by developing a network of close friends that I could call on for help or as a resource. Even after all of these years I still get help, encouragement, and support from brothers such as Tony, Charlie Jones, and Joe Hooten.

TAT: Any shout-outs?

J.C.: I really want to say hello to all of the brothers who were from my era. I really would like to hear from you.

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Pathway to Success

Travis Bryant, Tattler Staff

There's a new tool helping alumni Sinfonians achieve success in the business world. It's called SinfonianPages.com and it’s also helping alumni stay connected to brothers around the country... for FREE! And it's a program that just happened to be started by one of Iota Nu's own.

Brother Tommy House (IN '93) has been developing Web sites in Montgomery ever since leaving Troy. He's been on staff here at the Tat for some time and now he's focusing his talents and energy on helping brothers blaze their own pathways into the real-world.

“The thought occurred to many of the Tat staff that it would be a great idea to have a directory of Sinfonians in business,” said House. “Why? Cause I would rather do business with a Sinfonian than anyone else first!”

House says SinfonianPages.com will concentrate on promoting brother-owned companies and services through free advertising plus “the potential to tap into a market share of like-minded people searching for what you provide.”

He says he hopes these listings and databases will give brothers an edge in the business world.

“(It’s) great advertising for Sinfonians all over the world,” he said. “(We will) spread and create a Sinfonian network of business owners/operators and managers where their businesses can be easily searched for brothers looking.

“Not only that but it's a great way to look for a long lost brother. E-mail addresses will be listed along with their names. Need a great wedding cake? Search the directory and maybe one day Bro. Anderson will be listed (he makes some great cheesecakes) or Bro. Pitts if you are in need of insurance! Got a book you want published? Talk to Bro. Bryant. Need portraits made or publicity photos made for your acting, music or business careers? Contact Bro. Black. I could go on. I suggest you create your Sinfonian Pages account today (for free) and get listed!”

This free service is open to all brothers. House says it's important to him that SinfonianPages.com meets every need that a brother-in-business may have. So he's taken time to not only offer free listings but also develop enterprise packages for those wanting a little more 'oomph' behind their online presence.

“All Sinfonians are allowed to create an account and enter their information for review and inclusion in the Sinfonian Pages directory,” he said. “Advanced packages (Red, Black, & Gold plans) provide additional features which take up server storage resources and bandwidth. These plans are reasonably priced for any small budget. You do not have to pay to be listed – only to take advantage of the advanced features on the Web site. Requirements are that you must first be a Sinfonian, of course, and in good standing with the Lyrecrest national database. The Sinfonian Pages were created not just for your local chapter but rather the entire nationwide Sinfonian network. I like the sound of that... The Sinfonian Pages is just that... Web pages of Sinfonians in business, sort of like a Sinfonian phone book kicked up a notch!”

House says he's working hard to make sure the listings provide real-world usable services, familiar to everyone.

“SinfonianPages.com is striving to be a world-wide network of Sinfonian professionals," he said. “We want to showcase their businesses and provide contact information, product images, online document library, PDF printable information and many other features.”

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Notes in the Key of Troy

Lance Holman, Iota Nu Alumni Relations Officer

Current Events

In recent news, Iota Nu and Troy’s chapter of SAI recently had our annual Barbeque. It went over quite well and was surprisingly much warmer this year. We announced Tiffany Reeves as our Sweetheart for 2006-2007.

In other news, we just started a raffle today to win an evening with Sean Weiler. He’s kind of the resident popular guy. Tickets have been selling like hotcakes and so far it promises to be a good fundraiser for us. A portion of all the winnings will go to a charitable organization.

Phi Mu Alpha’s American Composers Concert will be held on November 28 in Sorrell Chapel at 7:30 p.m. Our show is a great mixture of post-Revolutionary to Civil War music.

The end of the PMA/SAI Barbeque marked the end of our rush functions for the 2006-2007 year. We have had a great turnout this year. Many of the people are good prospective members. I’d like to thank all my brothers for their hard work and making all the rush functions possible.

***We invite any and all alumni to come by and visit. Our meetings are every Sunday at Smith Hall on campus in room 207. We have music rehearsal at 8:00 p.m. and meet at 9:00 p.m. If you have any questions you can contact me at Grasshopper386@yahoo.com or call me at (334) 714-9629. As always we appreciate any financial donations from alumni to keep this chapter running like a fine oiled machine. Thanks again, come by and see us.***

Current Officers of Iota Nu Chapter

President- Martin Sager

Vice President- Jamie Gray

Treasurer- Lance Holman

Secretary- Chris Hall

Alumni Relations Officer- Lance Holman

F.E.O.- Jamie Gray

Warden- Aaron Slayback

Historian- Robert Lee

Music Director- Scott Sexton

Faculty Advisor- Dr. John Jinright

BrasherFest

The fourth annual BrasherFest will be held this year Homecoming weekend. I encourage all the alumni to come and enjoy yourselves. Due to setbacks and last minute changes we have not confirmed a place to have it yet. I will e-mail times and directions out ASAP.

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There’s a New “Village” On Campus

Scott Erb, Tattler Staff

If you were in band during your college years, do you remember practicing under the trees across from the practice field? Well those days are over my friend.

Troy’s enrollment has reached over 5,550 students this fall compared to last fall’s enrollment of 5,288. This nearly 5 percent increase is a testament to our fine institution, but left the university with a housing shortage. Currently the university does not have enough beds to sleep all the students wishing to stay on campus. This has led the administration to build four new residence halls that will be known as Trojan Village Apartments.

These new apartments are directly across the street from the band practice field (and you know those students will love being awakened by the band on Saturday mornings!). They will be two- and four-bedroom units. Each unit will have individual bedrooms. They will share a common kitchen/dining room area among the two or four bedrooms.

These apartments will be in an “L” shape to fit in the space provided. In the middle of the apartments will be a courtyard for students to socialize and study.

The university is very excited about the new dorm. It is a beautiful addition to the campus and will help solve the issues we are having with student placement.

The dorms will be ready by Fall 2007.

Visit http://troy.troy.edu/housing/new_halls/index.html for current pictures and status of the new dorms.

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Sinfonians (L-R) Mark Walker, Frank Miles, Scott Erb, Patrick Rozell, Ralph Ford, Scott Kigerl and Joe Ybarra enjoying the Trojans victory over ULM.

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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're all tucked in and cozy, buried under this month's Link Dump. We found three music-ish links to throw your way. We start this most haphazard of lists with a peek at iFilms' new super-secret site:
http://beta.ifilm.com/
Word on the street is that this link was leaked a month early, so you'll find some bugs. But the improved navigation and category listings make it easier to find those indie spots jammed with new tunes and sounds.

You may have heard of something called the iPod. But then again you may have been living on the moon. Even though the iPod and iTunes have always shown the love to the Windows users out there, they always mesh better with a Mac. Well that's changing, thanks to some innovative folks cranking out music software/apps/widgets like (the most unoriginally named) The Filter! Check it out:
http://www.thefilter.com/

I'm not sure if I'd know a Nintendo DS if some snotty kid at the mall threw one at me. But I know it's what keeps my nephews quiet in the backseat on roadtrips! Evidently there is a popular music-based game called Elite Eight that is causing quite a stir. After months of online voting and discussion the game has declared that it sports the 19 best dance/rhythm tracks in the history of man. You can check out their picks from across the decades and inject some groovitude into your life here:
http://blog.wired.com/games/2006/10/exclusive_elite.html

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Special Homecoming Link!

As always, Trav has done an excellent job of trolling the Web for links to useful, fun and interesting sites. Here’s one more just for this special issue: Troy University Magazine.

Troy University Magazine is a full-color magazine for alumni and friends of the University. Published three times a year, Troy University Magazine highlights news and events of the University, as well as the achievements of its alumni. Enjoy!

http://www.troy.edu/alumni/alummag.htm

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