Sigma Alpha Iota

Summer 2019 14 PAN PIPES Above, SAI alumna Dr. Teresa Stewart conducts the world premiere of Dr. Kirsten Broberg's On Solitary Fields. Below, SAI alumna Kayla Smith performs a trumpet solo. ADVOCACY Kappa B Province Day, which helped us recruit volunteer performers for the sinfonietta-style piece. e Denton Alumnae Chapter is very fortunate to have several professional conductors among its members, including Dr. Teresa Stewart, who was honored to conduct the world premiere of Dr. Broberg's piece. Dr. Broberg's commissioned piece, On Solitary Fields, is a cycle of continuous movements for SSAA chorus and chamber ensemble with text by Emily Dickinson. e poems bring the audience on a journey through the four seasons, starting in the spring – an homage to SAI's slated premiere of the piece in Spring 2019. e ordering of the text through the four seasons journeys on a deeper level through the seasons of a person's life and highlights Dickinson's solitude and deep connection to the nature world. On Solitary Fields was premiered on Saturday, April 6, 2019. e concert, which was held at the TWU Margo Jones Performance Hall, was titled Never a Season of Silence – a call to Susan B. Anthony's famous quote, "there shall never be another season of silence until women have the same rights men have on this green earth." e performance included a nine-person SSAA choir and an eleven-person chamber ensemble; many performers were SAI sisters, but we were fortunate to have many non-member volunteers, as well. Dr. Broberg's beautifully composed piece was well- received by the audience, not just because of the premise of the commission, but because her intricate composition style allowed for music that was truly symbolic of nature and the four seasons. In addition to Dr. Broberg's piece, the concert featured solo and duet performances. All pieces were performed by women, and most of the piece were composed by women. Elise Allen gave a brief presentation on her research once more, and Erin Smith led a call to action, asking audience members to reach out to performing arts organizations, schools, and universities to request inclusive hiring and casting practices, and to encourage the advancement of women in music. Proceeds collected at the concert will support scholarships for women pursuing music degrees at postsecondary institutions in the North Texas region. Our chapters are so grateful for all people and organizations involved in the execution of this initiative. We would like to thank the volunteer performers, our conductor, Dr. Teresa Stewart, the composer, Dr. Kirsten Broberg, and our engaged audience. Lastly, we are so thankful for the generous grant we received from SAI Philanthropies, Inc. Without this grant, we would not have been able to bring this dream to fruition. e fraternity and its philanthropic arm have invested wholeheartedly into the music of American women, and we hope our commission and performance help bring the industry one step closer to gender equality. Oboist Elizabeth Fleissner performs Ruth Gipps' The Piper of Dreams.

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