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Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia - ΦΜΑ
Founded	October 6, 1898 New England Conservatory of Music
Type	Social Fraternity
Scope	National
Motto	Among Men Harmony
Colors	Red, Black, Gold
Flower	Chrysanthemum
Chapters	217 chapters, 12 colonies, 9 alumni associations
Headquarters	10600 Old State Road Evansville, Indiana, USA
Homepage	http://www.sinfonia.org

Phi Mu Alpha (ΦΜΑ) Sinfonia is a collegiate social fraternity for men of musicianly character. It has 217 chapters, 12 colonies, and 9 alumni associations nationwide. It professes to build the "manly musician and musicianly man." More than 150,000 men have been initiated into Phi Mu Alpha, making it the largest and oldest secret society in music.^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Object 3 National Philanthropy 4 Sinfonia Educational Foundation 5 Notable Sinfonians 6 Chapters 7 References 8 External links

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia was founded on October 6, 1898 by Ossian Everett Mills and thirteen students at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. The name "Sinfonia" came from the name of a similar organization in Leipzig, Germany. Sinfonia became a national fraternity on October 6, 1900 with the admission of a group of men at the Broad Street Conservatory of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Under the guidance of Percy Jewett Burrell (sixth Supreme President, 1907–1914), whose writings and speeches continue to be influential in the teaching of Sinfonian ideals to this day, the fraternity grew.

According to the group's web site, the object of the 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".^[1] The fraternity's object was initially adopted in 1901. After numerous adaptations of the Fraternity's purpose statement, the original object was reaffirmed at the 2003 National Convention in Washington, D.C.

The National Philanthropy of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is the Mills Music Mission. It was inspired by a practice originated by Sinfonia founder Ossian Everett Mills in 1886.^{[citation needed]} He would take a group of New England Conservatory students to perform for patients in Boston hospitals on Christmas and Easter. The students would sing, play music and give recitations. The "flower missions," as they came to be known, brought joy to the lonely and hope to the destitute.[1] In 2003, the Mills Music Mission was accepted as Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia's official National Philanthropy. It is unique among fraternity philanthropies in that Sinfonians make a personal sacrifice to help individuals and lift spirits through music.^{[citation needed]} During the week of February 11-18, 2006, almost 200 chapters and alumni associations participated in missions in observance of Ossian Everett Mills's 150th birthday.[2]

Once a man is initated into the Fraternity, membership is for life. Area Alumni Associations, scattered throughout the country, provide more formalized ways for alumni to gather together and further the ideals and Object of the Fraternity. Such groups are currently active in Central Florida, Central Ohio, Coastal Georgia, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, New York City, Philadelphia, Saint Louis, and Washington, D.C.

Main article: Sinfonia Educational Foundation

The Sinfonia Educational Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. For over a half-century, it has enriched lives and advanced music by offering valuable opportunities for personal growth, musical achievement, and leadership development.^{[citation needed]} Tax-deductible gifts to the foundation help support collegiate Sinfonians through scholarships, matching grants, travel assistance grants, research grants, and support for the fraternity's educational programming. The Sinfonia Educational Foundation was formed as a means by which loyal alumni members who recognize the benefits of being a Sinfonian can personally help extend those benefits to future generations of musical men.

Main article: List of Sinfonians

Over a century old, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia has admitted men from all walks of life, some of whom have achieved notability in fields such as music, television, film, science, and literature. Among these famous Sinfonians are television personalities Mister Rogers and Andy Griffith, jazz musicians Duke Ellington and Cannonball Adderley, philanthropists Andrew Carnegie and George Eastman, politicians Thomas Dewey and Fiorello LaGuardia, tenor Luciano Pavarotti, and American Idol winner Ruben Studdard.

Main article: Chapters of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia has 217 active chapters and 14 colonies across the United States. Alpha Chapter at the founding New England Conservatory was active from 1898 to 1977. It was reactivated in 1991 but subsequently became inactive again in 1995 and remains so today. Delta Chapter at Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY was chartered on January 28, 1901, and is currently the oldest continuously active chapter in the Fraternity. Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is considered by some to be among the first non-historically black fraternities to charter a chapter at an historically black college or university when Sinfonia chartered at Howard University on May 19, 1952.

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.

Sinfonia provides many opportunities for the development of social and leadership skills. 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.

• Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia national website
• Sinfonia Educational Foundation
• Xi Omicron Chapter - UW-Stevens Point

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