I first heard about the music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia in eleventh grade while I was looking at different organizations at various universities. I was overjoyed to see that there are several Greek-letter organizations centered around music. I was even more thrilled when I heard that CNU had a chapter of Phi Mu Alpha. I had been searching for a group of men who cherish music just as much as I do throughout my entire life. I knew people in high school who pursued music simply as a hobby, but as a composer, I wanted something more. I knew that by joining a music fraternity, I would find people who had had music deeply impact their lives. I also knew that many of my future brothers would keep pursuing music in their lives and careers even after college. My life changed the day that I received my bid for Phi Mu Alpha. I didn’t immediately know how, but I knew I would never again be the same person.
Being in a music fraternity is unlike any other experience I’ve had. I am part of a community of brothers that I respect not only as gentlemen, but also as musicians. Each of my brothers has inspired me to keep challenging myself as a composer, and to continue experimenting writing in different musical styles. My fraternity is the reason why I kept pursuing music in life. I have seen my brothers attend several recitals and concerts in which I’ve performed, and some of them have premiered works that I have written.
One of the most rewarding parts of being in a music fraternity is how my brothers and I give back to the community. As part of Phi Mu Alpha's national philanthropy, the Mills Music Mission, my brothers and I have performed for the residents of retirement homes. We have sung together as an ensemble while also having performances from High Tops Football Club, our brother-formed rock band, and the Sinfonian Messengers, our brother-formed jazz band. Aside from the Mills Music Mission, my brothers and I have also teamed up with our colleagues in my university's other music sororities and fraternities to hold fundraiser concerts. Our biggest one is for Soundscapes, an organization dedicated to providing musical education to less-privileged youth in Virginia. Providing charity through music is something that I will always cherish as a brother of Phi Mu Alpha.
My experience as a brother of a music fraternity is something that I hold close to my heart. To me, music is not just an art, but a lifestyle. It is the reason why I have such a strong connection with my brothers, and I am confident that I will remain close with them even after graduating college. Like any other fraternity, being in Phi Mu Alpha is not just for four years, but for life.
