I became a
member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia American Music Fraternity on October
30, 1999. I am an alumnus of the Eta Mu chapter of Lamar University.
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia was founded on October 6, 1898 by Ossian E.
Mills. The Alpha chapter was located at the New England Conservatory of
Music in Boston, Massachusetts. The Eta Mu chapter was formed on May
20, 1956. At the time that I was undergoing probationary membership
(Fall of 1999), there were 201 active chapters of Phi Mu Alpha. My
faculty advisor was George Beverley. My big brother in the chapter was
Jeff Bourdier. There were 12 active members in the Eta Mu chapter when
I joined, but our probationary class was so large, that upon
initiation, the number of active members effectively doubled (There
were 11 of us). When I joined the Eta Mu chapter, the president was
Phillip Maldonado. Thinking about all of those guys really brings back
some good memories. The only one of them that I have spoken to recently
is Jeff. I saw Phillip a few weeks ago in passing, but all we had time
for was a handshake and a "how ya been?". Below are some of the relics
from those bygone days, or at any rate, some photographs of them.
The Five Purposes Of Phi Mu Alpha
The Five Purposes Of Phi Mu Alpha
(Quoted directly from
Information Sheet #1 in my old probationary member notebook):
The primary purpose of this fraternity shall be:
1. To encourage and actively promote the highest standards of creativity, performance, education
and research in music in America.
Further purposes shall be:
2. To develop and encourage loyalty to the Alma Mater.
3. To foster the mutual welfare and brotherhood of students of music.
4. To develop the truest fraternal spirit among its members,
and,
5. To instill in all people an awareness of music's important role in the enrichment of
the human spirit.
The primary purpose of this fraternity shall be:
1. To encourage and actively promote the highest standards of creativity, performance, education
and research in music in America.
Further purposes shall be:
2. To develop and encourage loyalty to the Alma Mater.
3. To foster the mutual welfare and brotherhood of students of music.
4. To develop the truest fraternal spirit among its members,
and,
5. To instill in all people an awareness of music's important role in the enrichment of
the human spirit.
Wow, even to this day, I still
remember them. After I read the first line, it all came rushing back to
me. I didn't need the book at all. I remember those days with a fond
sense of clarity that few other memories are capable of inspiring. I
remember that when the actives would quiz us on the purposes, and we
had to recite them aloud, an immediate contest of wills would ensue,
because every one of us wanted to be the one who got the honor of
reciting purpose number five, our personal favorite. Most of the time,
it usually came down to either T.J. or myself, and I can say with
complete honesty that no matter who won the "struggle", there was never
a sense of defeat. When the purposes rang out, all other concerns
vanished, and as faithful number five rolled around, we all swelled
with a sense of pride and brotherhood that eclipsed any remaining
rivalry.
S.L.I.B.F.S.!!
