Celebrating 40 years of abundant music and charity across campus

Phi Mu Alpha started on the Fredonia campus 40 years ago. Now this fraternity is still going strong. Phi Mu Alpha is a fraternity on a mission to help the school of music.

"Our then-called Sinfonia Club was founded on Oct. 6, 1898 at the New England Conservatory of Music. Later we became the national fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia on Oct. 6th 1900," said alumni relations officer Sam Jividen.

For their 40th anniversary celebration over alumni weekend, many events celebrated this historical mark. Chapter founder William B. Dederer was the keynote speaker at a special luncheon. They held educational sessions geared toward alumni and Oct. 6 was the annual Founder's Day Recital.

"This concert featured solo performers from the brotherhood and the Sinfonia Men's Choir, which is a choir made up of our collegiate members here at Fredonia," said Jividen.

Recently Phi Mu Alpha started a safe trick-or-treating program for the children of Fredonia in Mason Hall. This year the group plans to get multiple music groups to get involved with the event.

In addition to holiday related events the brothers currently volunteer their time as the usher corps for events in Juliet J. Rosch Recital Hall. At the end of each academic year Phi Mu Alpha also hold a scholarship competition for male music majors. The Sol Schoenbach Memorial Scholarship awards $500 to a musician who successfully demonstrates ideals similar to those of the fraternity.

-Reporting done by Frankie Marchiony, Special to The Leader