November, 2014
	Quick Look
President's letter	Upcoming Meetings	Past meetings
Chapter News	Member News	Concert Series
	Collegiate News/Events

On a beautiful autumn day like today, I find it hard to stay indoors and do the chores that require my attention. This is the season where we notice changes with the plants, trees, the temperature, time and those gaudy retail decorations!! Some of these changes happen beyond our control, but with others we are challenged to make choices that lead us to move forward and look ahead.

The Dallas Alumni Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon is so blessed with wonderful members who give and have given lots of time and talent to making this an award-winning chapter. In order for the chapter to remain strong, changes are always necessary. And that is true for every organization. Remaining the same in all our programming and planning will not move our organization forward.

Currently, we are faced with a challenge to increase our resources in order to continue offering the programs we feel are so vital. These programs, in particular the Library Series and the scholarships we offer, identify who we are as a chapter. I wish I had a ready answer. However, I do believe we can make this a priority and make some changes in our financial status. I plan to contact a few of you to meet with me to brainstorm what this challenge may look like. I hope you will join with me in this effort. In the meantime, if you have ideas that you have seen work with other organizations, please pass them on.

One of our own is facing a big challenge. With a heavy heart I am sharing the news from our Wynona Lipsett who is fighting recently diagnosed cancer. In her words she describes her condition: “I had the pins knocked out from under me last week when I was diagnosed with adenocarcinomas. It is an incurable cancer in the lower third of the esophagus. I’ve been going through numerous tests such as endoscopy, x-ray, EKG, CT scan, blood work, etc. My first visit with the oncologist will be Monday and then we’ll get to work on the treatment plan.” I had the opportunity to have lunch with Wynona and Don this past Saturday. I asked if I could share this information with you so we can hold her in our thoughts and prayers. She is facing this challenge with a wonderful spirit as you would expect from our strong, loving friend and colleague.

As we move forward through the year, I offer a challenge to all of us to keep our Mu Phi collegiates and our chapter members in our thoughts as many are facing trying times.

The 2014-15 year is off to a great start. The September meeting was filled with excitement and energy as we welcomed four new members and two new patrons. We welcome you and hope you will find the chapter offers many opportunities to enjoy music, friends and harmony. We can keep this momentum going by attending the chapter meetings and supporting our collegiates in the district.

Allow music to “brighten every hour”,

Phyllis Wilson, President

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November: Remembering Our Founders

Date/Time: Tuesday, November 11 - 7 pm
Home of Pat Suitt
NOTE: For additional contact information (address/phone), please contact the President or Webmaster.

Founders Day Ceremony
Remember to bring Founder's Day contribution of $1.10 (or more) to honor our founders and assist our parent organization.

Program:
Susan Poelchau and Tena Hehn, 4-hands piano music
Gena Cannon, piano
Co-hosts: Katy Freiberger, Karen Glosserman

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February: Joint Meeting with SAI

Date/Time: Monday, Feb 9 - 7 pm
Collora Pianos, 1451 Wycliff Avenue, Dallas
214-351-6636

Program: Mu Phi performers needed –
Please contact Tena Hehn ASAP
SAI performers
Co-hosts: All Mu Phi members; coordinator Tena Hehn: tenahehn@sbcglobal.net

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We met at Chimneyhill Clubhouse for a pot luck lunch on September 13 and heard am informative report from our President and Sacramento Convention delegate, Phyllis Wilson.

Our program featured scenes from Dallas composer Mary Alice Rich's opera based on Rosalyn Story’s "Wading Home" with Walteria Bethea and Dante Davis singing roles. Susan Poelchau accompanied. We welcomed four new members plus former President Mary Ann Taylor and several guests, including Rosalyn Story and composer Mary Alice Rich.


                   Above: Dante Davis, Susan Poelchau, Mary Alice Rich, Walteria Bethea and Rosalyn Story

Phyllis Wilson also installed two new patrons: Jenny Smith’s father, John Smith and Ashley Kimmel’s fiancé Basil Bouras.

< Phyllis Wilson, John Smith, Basil Bouras, Patron Chair Pat Hill

Right: Ashley Kimmel with new members Megan Carfa, Virginia Hadzic and Michelle Perez (not pictured: Nadine Cole and returning member Mary Ann Taylor).

Thanks to co-hosts Mary Williams and Sandra McMillen.







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We met at the home of Pat Hill on October 13 with a report of collegiate activities – a Founder’s Day program and a South Central2 Conference. See Collegiate section for more details. We welcomed new member Kimberley Deschner.

The program featured an enjoyable recital by Linda Proch, Violin and Pat Suitt, Piano who played a song by Maria Teresia von Paradis (student of Salieri), “Sonata in G Major for Violin and Piano” by Ravel; “Blue Mountain” (banjo inspired) and Brahms “Lullaby” Waltz, Op 39.

Thanks to Pat Hill and co-hosts Frances Estes and Susan Poelchau.

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You can now “Like” the Dallas Alumni Chapter on Facebook. The easiest way to do it is to go to our website Home page (www.muphiepsiondallas.org) and click the LIKE button. You can keep up with our activities with postings coming to your Facebook page. Feel free to post items that reflect your musical and professional activities. Share your postings with your Facebook friends. This is a great way to spread the word about Mu Phi. We have 43 people who Like us so far; goal is 100!

The Dallas Alumni and nearby collegiate chapters are planning to sponsor International Competition winner Rachel Brand, harpist, in a concert in 2016 for our Province Conference. Negotiations pending.

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Our condolences to Walteria Bethea whose father recently passed away in North Carolina. She won't be able to go to the funeral as her baby is due this week.

Sandra McMillen was recently honored by the Alpha Nu chapter at West Texas State University. They named a scholarship they have set up as the "Sandra McMillen Scholarship."

Welcome new member Kimberly Deschner, who attended our October meeting.
Deschner, Kimberly Jacob
K.Deschner@tx.rr.com
Epsilon Zeta; Piano Performance

And glad-to-see-you-back Mary Ann Taylor:
Taylor, Mary Ann
Mataylor7@gmail.com
Epsilon Pi; Flute

Randy Hooper is now affiliated as a member at large. His info:
Hooper, Randall
randall_hooper@tamu-commerce.ed
Alpha Pi; Choral Conducting

Please correct your yearbook listing for patron Julia Woodrum to: juliaaw@att.net. Her phone number is also incorrect in the Yearbook.

NOTE: For additional contact information (address/phone), please contact the President or Webmaster.

Update Zelda Hantz's e-mail to: westtexasgirl1950@gmail.com

Happy 96th birthday to former Dallasite Bea Carney (whom many of us remember); she lives in Arkansas near her family.

Nicki Wilbanks is in Room 301 at Presbyterian North.

Our best wishes to Katy Freiberger and Larry Althouse who were married October 19, 2014. Rev. Dr. Joe Clifford officiated.

Our prayers and good wishes are with Karen Sailer, a former Dallasite who has lived in Clovis, NM for many years. She has continued to support our chapter from a distance. She has entered a hospice unit after a long bout with cancer.

We also send those positive thoughts and prayers to Wynona Lipsett, who has adenocarcinomas - cancer in the lower third of the esophagus.

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Six of the Alpha Nu members of this new chapter drove together to Sacramento for the Convention this past summer.

Members of the Beta Mu chapter (also a new chapter) were looking for donations to send a delegate to Convention, and were successful in getting enough money using an online request e-mail. Thanks to all who donated to them, especially the Phi Tau chapter at UNT who donated $400 to them.

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Friday November 14, 2015, 8 pm
Voertman Hall, University of North Texas, Denton

The Dallas Alumni chapter is invited to share in this program and perhaps some of us can carpool.
From Sam Melnick, Phi Tau:

Saturday January 17, 2015, all day
Baylor University, Waco

Put this date on your calendar and attend if you can. We Dallas people can carpool.
Your registration fee (form to be sent out soon) includes lunch. More details later.

The conference will begin about 9/10 am and include a welcome and a workshop in the morning; lunch; one - two workshops in the afternoon; a recital featuring members from all chapters. Alumni are encouraged to participate. There will be representatives from each of the chapters in the SC2 district. About 100 delegates are expected. This is a wonderful opportunity to encourage collegiates to consider an alumni membership after graduation.

                                     < Get to know an alumni! Get to know a collegiate! >

A sing-along of Mu Phi songs will end the conference.
You can download and print a copy of the songbook at the Mu Phi website - http://www.muphiepsilon.org/images/muphimusic/muphiepsilon2014songbook.pdf

Alumni members are requested to lead or contribute to workshops such as:
- Q and A about Mu Phi Alumni
- Things I wish I knew when I was a new teacher
- Building and running your own studio
- Financial know-how for chapters (Sandra)
Let Ashley Kimmel know ASAP of your interest in workshops or performing on the recital: ashley.kimmel12@gmail.com

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We had our largest audience ever (over 90) at the downtown library attending the Mary Alice Rich and Friends concert. With lots of variety in performers, ensembles and pieces, this audience enjoyed the music of Dallas composer Mary Alice Rich, who is also a splendid violinist and was one of the performers, along with our member Susan Poelchau. If you attended our September meeting, you met Mary Alice and heard some of the new opera music.


     Susan Poelchau, Dante Davis,
     Mary Alice Rich >







Pianist Alessandro Mazzamuto, an outstanding Italian pianist in the SMU Performance program, played a wonderful all-Chopin program this past Sunday.

We finish our fall season with two excellent ensembles:

11/9: Mount Vernon Music with Mark and Ute Miller and Ron Clinton. Their program includes works by Mozart, Bach, Hindemith, Bridge, Massenet, Debussy and Saint-Saëns.