The date is October 6, 1898 and the 'Old Boys' of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston have invited the 'New Boys' to share in an evening of sociability. Under the watchful eye of Ossian Everett Mills, the bursar of the conservatory, the seeds were planted for an organization that would grow and flourish for over 100 years.

This organization, known at its founding simply as the Sinfonia Fraternity, charged itself with instilling the deepest ideals of manhood into the boys of the conservatory. With hopes of generating men with a strong social conscience and a deep understanding of the effects of their art upon others, the fraternity set upon the course to make boys into men - manly musicians, musicianly men.

On May 23, 1954, the newly established Theta Tau chapter of Austin Peay State University celebrated it first Founder's Day with the initiation of 20 new members. The names of these men of music are:

Paul B. Garrison, Norman Douglas Batson, Harold Ross Black, Billie Edward Burks, Sidney Wilson Burton, Michael Wayne Chilcutt, Dan Vinson Dill Richard, Howard Gainer, Joe Wayne Giles, David Spencer Hall, Michael McKee Garland, George Samuel Milan Jr., Thomas Stacy Miller, John Walter Pickrell, Billy Lee Roger Richard, Eugene Stricklen, Larry Gordon Womack, James Weldon, Bobby Leon Groves, Kenny Paul Graves, and Aaron Schimdt, Faculty Advisor

These men worked very hard to achieve this goal, and to this day we are still working as hard to maintain their standard. We work with the Center of Creative Arts to help out at various music functions at Austin Peay such as recitals, the Miss & Miss Teen Tennessee Pageants. We have also had the privilege of commissioning a work entitled "The Wanderers," by composer in residence Dr. Jeffery Wood. We also have the honor of having the governor of Province 15 as our faculty advisor, Dr. Thomas R. King. Recently the chapter has started the Aaron Schimdt Music Lecture Series. The Theta Tau chapter of Phi Mu Alpha is the oldest fraternity on campus, and we take great pride in this as well as APSU.

With the course laid, the ship was set to sail. One-hundred years later, having initiated over 100,000 members, the course is still being navigated. Through the power of ideals - shared through a common ritual - the men who pass from our portals are daily transforming themselves and everyone they meet.

Click here for a full history of Phi Mu Alpha!