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About Us
PI SIGMA
HISTORY
The
Pi Sigma chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia came into
being on December 1, 1967 with the initiation of
fourteen men. Little did they know of the
long-standing tradition of excellence that would grow
out of their humble beginnings at Samford University.
Through its many struggles as both a fraternity and
brotherhood, the Pi Sigma chapter was able to remain a
powerful force on Samford University's campus by
continuing to mold and shape men who would live their
lives professionally and who would always continue in
their mission to instill in all people with an awareness of
music's important role in the enrichment of the human
spirit.
 Through
our
rich and diligent leadership over the past forty
years, the Pi Sigma chapter has been able to flourish in
its goal of the furthering of music in America by
hosting many musical events and social gatherings for
its members and fellow musicians. We have been
able to use both our time and our talents in serving a
school and community that has given so much of itself to
serving others.
We
owe our existence and strength as a fraternity to those
fourteen men who established our identity by pledging
their loyalty to an organization whose goals were
far-reaching in both distance and time. We are
also in debt to all those who have led the fraternity in
the past and to those who serve in leadership positions
today. It is under their guidance that this
fraternity has been able to thrive and continue to serve
its purpose of encouraging and actively promoting the
highest standards of creativity, performance, education
and research in music in America.
If
you would like to know more about what it means to be a
Sinfonian in the Pi Sigma chapter or would like
information regarding membership in the fraternity,
please feel free to
e-mail our President James Blackburn at
jpblackb@samford.edu.
Coming soon: A complete list of past chapter
presidents.
A BRIEF
HISTORY OF SINFONIA
Sinfonia was born on October 6, 1898 at the New England
Conservatory in Boston, when a group of thirteen young
men under the guidance of Ossian Everett Mills met “to
consider the social life of the young men students of
that institution” and “to devise ways and means by which
it might be improved.” Mills, bursar of the
Conservatory, sought to create an Order in which men
with a shared love of music could develop the virtues of
manhood in themselves and in their fellows.
Sinfonia became a national fraternity on October 6,
1900, with the admission of a group of men at the Broad
Street Conservatory in Philadelphia. Since that time
Sinfonia has grown into the largest music fraternity in
the world, with more than 150,000 initiates, and
chapters on over 200 college and university campuses
across the nation.
For over a century, Sinfonians in nearly every field of
study and professional endeavor have transformed the
face of music in America. Today, the Brotherhood
represents a diverse group of individuals spanning the
nation, who continue the proud tradition of advancing
the Fraternity’s Object.
Sinfonia is a Brotherhood of men bound together for
mutual helpfulness. Its purpose is not only to bring men
together as friends, but also to provide a network of
brothers with whom men can commune and renew their zeal
— a support network that helps the individual to meet
the challenges that face him in his daily life. By
teaching men who are united as brothers to live their
lives according to the noble virtues set forth in the
Fraternity’s Initiation Ritual, Sinfonia builds better,
stronger, broader individuals who are able to live in
sympathy and in harmony with their Fraternity brothers
and their fellow man. The Initiation Ritual of Phi Mu
Alpha Sinfonia, which will mark the transition into full
membership, is one of the most meaningful and beautiful
of the Greek tradition. The dedication to the
advancement of universal Truths and brotherly
association exemplified in the Ritual are the foundation
of individual fraternal friendship, chapter unity, and
national solidarity in the promotion of Sinfonia’s dual
mission: the making of men and the uplift of mankind.
Sinfonians share a love of music that unites them as
brothers with a common interest. The Fraternity teaches
men to develop themselves and their art, not for the
sake of art itself, but as a means of enriching the
lives of others. Through a multitude of chapter,
provincial, and national events, Sinfonia offers
unlimited opportunities for performance, community music
outreach, and other activities designed to develop a
true appreciation for the power of music to uplift the
soul.
Sinfonia’s collegiate chapters participate in a broad
range of activities emphasizing brotherhood, service,
and performance in music. Chapters take music into the
community by singing at hospitals and homes for the
elderly; sponsor concerts of American music, jazz and
choral festivals, all-campus sings and Broadway-style
reviews; provide a large variety of performing ensembles
ranging from big bands to barbershop quartets;
commission new works; bring prominent performers and
clinicians to their campuses; and take part in a variety
of other social and musical activities. The
possibilities for participation in musical activities
are limited only by the boundaries of imagination,
desire, and commitment.
Sinfonia provides many exciting opportunities for the
development of social and leadership skills in an
atmosphere of brotherhood and mutual support. Leadership
roles may be assumed from nearly the first day an
individual is pledged to become an active member of the
Fraternity. Beyond the chapter, annual province
workshops and national events allow members to become
more involved and to develop meaningful friendships with
other musical students across the nation.
A common phrase heard among brothers in the Fraternity
is “Once a Sinfonian, Always a Sinfonian.” The spirit of
this phrase has fostered alumni loyalty for more than
one hundred years. As an alumni member, the
opportunities to remain active with the Fraternity are
limitless. Alumni associations, scattered throughout the
country, provide more formalized ways for alumni
Sinfonians to gather together and further the ideals and
Object of the Fraternity. |
