Dakeyan C. Graham
Accomplished Practice # 3: Continuous Improvement
Illustration # 2
Source of Illustration
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Inc. Eta Omega ChapterFaculty Advisor
Professor Mitchell EstrinSemester
Fall 2004 - presentType of Assignment
Brotherhood MembershipDescription of Assignment
An excellent way to seek continuous improvement in a given field is to become a part of an organization that links many professionals together. Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Inc., national fraternity for musicianly men, is a collegiate level organization which links many people of various backgrounds and majors together for the love of music. Through this fraternal bond, connections are made, not simply social, but professional as well. There have been times when a brother saw fit to call on the aid of another to help him with an issue. The national newsletter, the Red and Black, is sent out every semester to each chapter in the nation, one copy for every brother. Membership in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Inc. demonstrates Accomplished Practice #3 in the following ways:
- Seeks feedback from students, parents, and other professionals
- Continues to read professional publications and attend workshops and conferences
Artistic Processes/Medium
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Inc. allows for music education and performance majors to bond with other people outside of the school of music. This also opens many different avenues and provides various outlets for musical expression not only to music educators, but also performers with full ensemble (both vocal and instrumental) performance opportunities, chamber group, and solo performances at the various national conferences. This organization is not biased toward vocal or instrumental majors, nor to majors that are outside of the school of music. There are also many opportunities to respond to various activities in the weekly meetings that are held in order to introduce a new approach to an aspect of professional life that may not have been thought of by the younger, less experienced minds and cover other brotherhood duties such as music rehearsals and preparation for volunteer activities, which are performed throughout the community on a regular basis. There is also a newsletter that is published and distributed by brothers of Phi Mu Alpha throughout the United States with connecting the various chapters to each other and announcing various achievements of both individual brothers and chapters. In this manner, it is easy to see how a brother can help you if they were just promoted to a position of prominence in an area which you hope to travel. There are many opportunities to submit articles to the journal and see material posted and published.
Rationale
By becoming an active participant in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Inc., it demonstrates the desire for self-improvement and a desire to become more diversified. This organization links oneself to thousands of collegiate students nationwide who are on the same journey into professionalism as we are. Accomplished Practice #3 is demonstrated by the attendance of various workshops and conferences, reading of the national newsletter, The Red and Black, and the request of feedback from other brothers within the chapter and the organization.
Illustration
There are weekly meetings held in the University of Florida music building in which brothers gather together to deal with various issues and events taking place in the chapter. The brothers of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Inc. strive for the continued education of musical students and the advancement of music in America. They participate in numerous volunteer activities such as the cure for cancer fund raiser Relay for Life and perform various Mills Music Missions, in which they journey out and sing in retirement homes and hospitals. This organization has no prejudice and attempts to break down all barriers that may take away from any man or brother. Every Spring the fraternity puts on an American music Recital where the brothers participate in the performance of American music, not limited to vocal repertoire, but also instrumental pieces ranging from solos to quartets and other chamber groups.
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