Sigma Alpha Iota

P A N P I P E S Winter 2021 5 MUSIC NOTES On December 3 rd , 2020, Jane Ruby celebrated her 102 nd birthday! Jane was initiated into Sigma Alpha Iota in 1974 by Pi Chapter at Drake University in Des Moines, IA. She is a member of the Des Moines Alumnae Chapter, where she has held several offices, including President and Vice- President. She was Xi B Province Officer from 1984-1993. Her SAI honors include Sword of Honor, Rose of Honor, Rose of Dedication, Wreath of Achievement, and the Leadership Award for Region II. Jane received a BA degree in Music from Iowa State Teachers College, a MME from Drake University, and has done post-graduate work at the University of Iowa, University of Indiana, University of Minnesota, and DePaul University. She taught general and choral music in the Iowa towns of Fairfield, Hampton, and Leon. Her choirs were frequent guest performers for the Music Educators Association at national and regional conventions. She also taught and chaired music departments in music education, particularly secondary choral music education, at Drake, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Parsons College, where her choirs toured the Midwest each year and were guest choirs for the Iowa Choral Directors Association. She directed the Men's Chorus and Celebration Quartet at West Des Moines Methodist Church for over 19 years; the Quartet's ministry took them to churches and venues throughout the Midwest. Jane has been a member and leader of the Iowa Music Educators Association; the Choral Chair for All-State Chorus; a Board of Directors member of MENC, ACDA, ICDA, and American Guild of Organists. She has also been involved in P.E.O., the Treble Clef Music Club, the Des Moines Women's Club, Living History Farms (tour guide/interpreter), and Scottish Rite Park, where she now resides and has served as past president of the Resident Council. Honors include the IMEA Distinguished Service Award, Robert McCowen Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions to Choral Music, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Phi Kappa Phi. Jane and her husband Lloyd moved from Fairfield to Des Moines in 1973; upon their retirement, they enjoyed wintering in Mesa, Arizona. Jane moved to Scottish Rite Park following Lloyd's passing in 1996; she immediately became involved by playing piano for various activities, joining organizations, and living life to the fullest. — Submitted by Pam Prouty, Des Moines Alumnae Chapter, Coordinator of Grants, SAI Philanthropies, Inc. SAI Sister Celebrates 102 P A N P I P E S Winter 2021 5 The Creative Repertoire Initiative T hree current members of the SAI Composers Bureau — Julie Giroux, Alex Shapiro, and Frank Ticheli — have joined with nine of their peers to create the Creative Repertoire Initiative (CRI), a "collective of composers and conductors com- mitted to creating adaptable music for ensembles in the coming academic year and beyond, due to the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic." The group also includes Robert Ambrose, Brian Balmages, Steven Bryant, Michael Daugherty, Jennifer Jolley, John Mackey, Pete Meechan, Omar Thomas, and Eric Whitacre. A growing list of resources is available on their website and Face- book page. To learn more, visit: www.creativerepertoire.com Pi initiate and Des Moines Alumnae Chapter member Jane Ruby Pi initiate and Des Moines Alumnae Chapter member Jane Ruby

• Cover