Sigma Alpha Iota

PAN PIPES • SPRING 2016 • sai-national.org 2 Dear Readers, During a rare break from my work on this issue and the many day-to-day activities I have as the mother of an energetic 5-year old, I took a moment to read the morning newspaper (yes, an actual printed one delivered to my door!). My musician's eye was immediately drawn to a small column dedicated to the upcoming retirement of Garrison Keillor, long-time host of the popular radio variety show, A Prairie Home Companion. Musician Chris ile will take his place in October, bringing his mandolin playing, blue grass roots, and appearances by some contemporary artist friends, such as Ben Folds and Brandi Carlile. It's the end of an era and the start of a new one, but the show must go on, and I look forward to seeing what will happen with the new show's format. (ile's father, Scott, was initiated as a Friend of the Arts by the Iota Beta Chapter in 2015.) e diverse aspects of Keillor's show had me thinking about the many different ways that our SAI members are active musically. We have performers, educators, therapists, composers, librarians, conductors…the list could go on and on in our own "SAI Variety Show." is issue of PAN PIPES is a perfect example of the diversity of musical activities our members and chapters participate in. Collegiate, Alumnae, and Distinguished Members are all represented. On the music therapy side of things, SAI Director Kelly Lorenz shares information about the industry and how chapters can get involved, and a number of sisters share stories about real-life applications. Performer Kathleen Shimeta shares her research and passion about American composer and conductor Gena Branscombe. I encourage you to visit Shimeta's website to learn more and to hear a sampling of her recordings of Branscombe's works. Each year various chapters band together to represent SAI at state music education conferences, to find "lost" sisters and inform others about our organization's numerous projects. is year was no different and reports from a number of those events are shared within. In addition, we have stories of service and outreach that are sure to inspire. I had some personal interest in the story on page 10 about a concert to raise funds for tornado victims in Texas, as I spent the evening aer Christmas with my parents and son huddled in a hallway listening to those same tornado sirens all around us. We were lucky that day, but many were not, and it was wonderful to see how the community responded to help their neighbors with events such as this. We are always looking for new stories to share with our readers and new personnel to volunteer their time and writing skills. Do you have an idea for a music technology article or an interview with an SAI in the field? Is there a great teaching resource or a new performing ensemble you would like to write about? If so, please contact me at SAIPanPipesEditor@gmail.com so we can discuss your potential involvement. I can't wait to hear from you! SAI Roses, Christine Bruns Editor EDITOR'S NOTES S igma Alpha Iota Philanthropies, Inc. is pleased to announce a new opportunity for SAI members moving to alumnae status. We all know that the journey in SAI starts as an MIT, progresses through initiation, and then continues for a lifetime in Sisterhood. Now, when a new alumna member makes her first contribution to our charitable arm, SAI Philanthropies, Inc., she will become a member of the new 1903 Club. This donation should be made within the first year to be granted this special recognition. Graduates will be sent a personal link for donating online; the link can also be requested from National Headquarters. As a member of the 1903 Club, a sister will • Become part of an exclusive network of recent graduates • Strengthen the foundation of the fraternity • Support the many scholarships, grants, and special projects funded by SAI Philanthropies, Inc. • Get access to new social media content to show her SAI pride Why should recent graduates give? "I decided to make my first donation when I graduated in December 2015, because Philanthropies is one of the wonderful things about SAI that makes it so special and unique. Through projects such as People-to- People, Music Education Outreach Grants, student scholarships, and others, SAI Philanthropies is able to further the growth of music throughout the world. Without donations from our members, SAI Philanthropies wouldn't be capable of supporting these projects. I've decided to give to SAI Philanthropies to do my part in supporting our wonderful Fraternity." — Brandie Penner, Eta Theta Chapter graduate, Western Carolina University Join Brandie and other recent graduates by making a gift to SAI Philanthropies today! SAI Announces the 1903 Club

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