The Eighth Note 2018 by Tau Beta Sigma, Southeast District

The Eighth Note

Southeast District. Kappa Kappa Psi. Tau Beta Sigma. 2018.

Table of Contents About the Cover Brotherhood

“A Lifelong Commitment” / “Through the Lens of Non-Traditional Students”

With My Sisters, I am Best

“Building Sisterhood through a Chapter Retreat”

For the Love of Music “Oh, TBS” / “Changed” /

Leadership

5 7

15 16

Meet Your SED Officers Crossword

27 30 31

34 36

38 41

Behind The Eighth Note

19 21

“We Love Our Brothers” / “What Stillwater Means to Me”

“The First Annual Marching Chiefs 5K” / “Celebrating African American Musicians” “(Almost) Invisible Illnesses” /

MLITB

“The Things You Don’t Hear About (But Should You?)” “My Second Home in Kappa Kappa Psi” /

Service

About the Cover Lauren Rossman Kappa Kappa Psi: Pi

aron Thompson is a senior at Auburn University studying Oboe Performance and Music Education. He was initiated as a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi in the spring of 2015 as the President of his class. Upon becoming a brother of the Pi Chapter, Aaron has served as the Vice President of Membership and currently holds the position of Recording Secretary. He constantly strives to help his peers and chapter in any way that he can, in addition to promoting the existence and welfare of the Auburn’s program by serving as a Drum Major of the Auburn University Marching Band. Recently, Aaron was named the Head Drum Major of the 380-member organization, which is perhaps the most honorable student position in Auburn’s music department. As a student, Aaron demonstrates great

responsibility and leadership skills, as he is also the President of Music Ambassadors and Treasurer of NBA. He also devotes hours of his time during summer semesters to volunteer for the music department with NBA summer band camps, where he constantly encourages young musicians to continue to play their instruments and audition for higher ensembles. As a musician himself,

Aaron’s primary instrument is the oboe, and he participates in multiple ensembles at Auburn, including Symphonic Winds, Orchestra, and Double Reed Ensemble. Before becoming a Drum Major, Aaron played the mellophone in Auburn’s marching band. He also leads Pi Chapter hymn rehearsals at each Pi Chapter meeting and is a great asset to the chapter’s overall success.

Brotherhood

Keep the ambition Knowing that through the struggles Some brothers will help Isha Henry - Kappa Kappa Psi: Iota

A Lifelong Commitment Alyssa Baacke

Kappa Kappa Psi: Alpha Eta

ust one year ago, I was a candidate of Kappa Kappa Psi, piloting the Road to Wisdom and trying in every possible way to understand what it means to be a Brother. To close each interview I conducted during my membership process, I asked every Brother and Sister the same question: What is the most important thing you have learned as a Brother/Sister? Some responses were more in depth and thought provoking than others, but each response was unique. My Big Brother’s response was that there would always be someone around that is willing to help. At the time, I thought he was implying that I would find a few friends who would help me through college. However, the bonds go much deeper than a handful of short-term band buddies. I have found friends who I will

cherish for the rest of my life; I have built a network of diverse individuals that could help me connect with people across the country. Through Kappa Kappa Psi, I have met people from not only other schools in my state but also schools in other states within and outside of the Southeast District. I have also been able to connect with influential leaders who have guided me through various workshops and seminars at the local, district, and national level. I now feel more confident about my leadership abilities and personal growth.

Another Brother gave me some advice that I try to instill in everything I do as an active brother: “There is always something to be improved, and you can be the one to improve it.” Along similar lines, one Brother told me that you do not need to have a title to be a leader. Whether you display leadership by demonstrating outstanding musicianship, participating in every available service event, or making other band members and Brothers feel welcome at social events, you are making an impact on the lives around you. While

A Lifelong Commitment continued

having a title may aid in the efficiency of planning and executing a project, every participating member has the ability to be a leader within the event. I use this as motivation to take initiative in projects that interest me. Despite the fact that I do not hold any executive board positions in my chapter, I try to attend any meetings when I am available so that I am knowledgeable about the news that is current in my chapter. Even in a chapter that has all the necessary resources to function and succeed, problems will still arise. Because chapters are run by people who have emotions and imperfections, conflict may even arise between members. However, as another Brother told me, “Conflict is not the end of the world.” The true test of a chapter’s character is how they are able to combat

these conflicts and come together as better and stronger Brothers. The most significant advice I received from asking this question was from a Sister of Tau Beta Sigma. She told me, “It’s not always pretty, but it’s worth it.” This stuck with me because of the honesty the statement holds. In any organiza

It’s not always pretty, but it’s worth it. tion with a diverse group of thinkers, ideas will begin to clash, and some people will not see eye to eye. However, giving your fellow Brothers

equal opportunity to present their ideas will result in a more effective chapter that showcases various different strengths and allows the chapter to function at its fullest potential. Being a younger Brother, I still have a lot to learn. Luckily, the older Brothers around me have inspired and encouraged me since I was a membership candidate, and they continue to support me during my time as an active Brother. Your time as a membership candidate is a short but valuable one. I am privileged enough to have had a strong chapter to lean on during my transition, and I hope to continue to strengthen my chapter for the generations to come so that future Brothers can rely on us as I have relied on my Brothers.

Non-Traditional Brotherhood Anthony Montalto and Logan Lemke Kappa Kappa Psi: Alpha Eta

“B

ut wait -- if you’re an online student, how are you in a fraternity?” I face this question on, what seems like, a weekly basis, and it never fails to make me smile. As a student in the University of Florida’s Pathway to Campus Enrollment (PaCE) program, I am required to earn 60 credits (15 or more of which through UF Online) before transferring to campus as a traditional student. It’s been difficult so far, but I’ve gotten through it with help from my family, friends and my brothers. People from both the University of Florida as well as Santa Fe College often ask how I am in KKPsi. Santa Fe is a community college located in Gainesville, Florida that gives me the opportunity to collaborate with UF. I will attend Santa Fe College for two years while working on my AA. Once this is finished, I will transfer to the University

of Florida and become a traditional student. While attending Santa Fe, Gator Band allows me to march with them which is what opened my eyes to the fraternity to begin with. I chose to move to Gainesville instead of staying home with my online classes in an effort to make the most of my college experience (and to join the Gator Band, of course), and I can confidently say that without KKPsi, my college life would be so much different. I started going to recruitment and truly enjoyed the events but was not sure if I was able to join due to the fact I was not a UF student. By attending Santa Fe College and not UF this made my process along with my

involvement in the fraternity difficult. However difficult it was, it was not impossible. My candidate class grew very close, and I knew that no matter what I had 13 other people supporting me and helping me along the way. They’ve heard all of my frustrations about the whole online school thing and have helped me through the times where I’ve needed advice. From our first quasi-hangout and study session in a library study room at 3:00 AM to now, where my phone is blowing up with messages in our group chat as I write this, I know that I always have their support. Along with my candidate class, I had a very supportive and involved big who was

Brotherhood from the Perspective of an Online Student and

the Perspective of a Santa Fe Student 7

Non-Traditional Brotherhood continued always willing to help me along the way in both the process aspect and just being a friend. By having such a great support system it allowed the juggling act of both colleges seem not as challenging. I am so thankful for KKPsi and all of the opportunities it has provided me with so far. Being a brother of this fraternity allows me to feel a sense of belonging, something difficult to find as an online student, which drives me to do my best and strive for the highest every day. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even better is that I have this sense of belonging in a fraternity whose primary focus is to give back to and serve the bands. While it is difficult to find a place to belong as an online student, I truly believe that I have found one in KKPsi. My involvement with the fraternity has truly been one of the most amazing experi-

ences for me. As a freshmen it allowed me to make friends, keep busy, and get acclimated to college life easier. Each day, my brothers find new ways to make me appreciate them and everything this fraternity has to offer. For that, I am eternally grateful. I know that I made the right choice in choosing

Being a brother of this fraternity allows me to feel a sense of belonging

campus, my feelings about this brotherhood will never change. The other brothers have included me just as if I attended UF. They do not treat me differently than any other brother just because I attend a different school than them. Being involved in this brotherhood has allowed me to surround myself with people who have the same love and passion for music that I do which is very comforting when moving four hours from home. No, I am not a University of Florida student; however, I am proud to say that I am brother of the Alpha Eta chapter.

to stick with PaCE. I know that while my method of learning may change in the Spring of 2019, when I am predicted to transition to 8

With My Sisters, I am Best

Sisterhood is a safe space, love, lifelong friendships, and so much more Amako Nwoko - Tau Beta Sigma: Zeta Tau

Building Sisterhood McKenna Gramzay Tau Beta Sigma: Iota Lambda

ll chapters of Tau Beta Sigma share the uniformity of ritual and tradition. We hold the same principles, mission statement, and of course, the five and eight. This shared sense of self is what makes spending time with other chapters so fun. No matter who we are or where we come from, we have this shared sense of purpose and passion for our organization. The unique beauty of each chapter, comes from its individual members, how they relate to and interact with one another and what their individual strengths can contribute to the success of the chapter. In the Iota Lambda chapter, there are not a lot of us. Currently, we have nine active members. The lower number of active members allows for us to get to know one another better and on a more personal level. I feel that I am

good friends with everyone in the chapter, that I can trust them, and that if I ever needed anything, any one of them would be willing to help me. This is what sisterhood means to me - the bond created through mutual love for music and band, this mutual desire to better our community through music, and a shared sense of respect for one another and for the organization. Last semester, we had a sisterhood retreat. We started off the day with brunch and just good conversation. After everyone ate, we had a kind of discussion board

about what makes a Good Sister and a Not-So-Good Sister. Some people used this time to talk about themselves and other sisters who struck them as being good examples. We had a little food break after that discussion. Then we did a little show and tell; a lot of people chose to tell or pulled out their phones for their favorite picture/memory. Then we used a Quizlet that Leanne Summers, our Treasurer and Recording Secretary, created that was meant to be more fun and a little less serious. Everyone had to

Building Sisterhood continued

answer each of the questions, but they also had to give a little background as to why. For instance, who would you want to have with us if we were stranded on an island? Technically, we were supposed to adjourn after that. However, we were having such a good time that Logan, one of our active members, suggested we play a game. We put paper on our heads and drew whatever the leader told us to; first, it was a house with a dog and car outside of it and then it was Kenan Stadium with Mitch Trubisky throwing a football. Needless to say, because we couldn't see what we were doing, when we compared pictures, they were quite distorted and hilarious. After that, we actually adjourned and cleaned up. It was around 2 and we'd run out of food so some of us went to SupDogs after.

All in all, it was a really good time. The questions posed during the activities really made us examine our chapter dynamics and our individual contributions to and detractions from our sense of sisterhood and the fulfillment of our goals as members of Tau Beta Sigma. It was nice to have the space in which to focus on one another, because usually, we are all together when we are taking care of official chapter business or doing volunteer work. Being able to gather as an entire chapter and have the only focus be to spend time with and further our bonds with one another was refreshing. The times in which we get to spend talking and laughing about our lives, sharing our day to day stresses and victories with one another are some of my favorite times. The service and volunteer work we do is

fulfilling and special in its own way, but there is nothing quite like eating together after a ritual, or hanging out and watching a movie, or playing trivia and listening to one another with attention and intention. In pledging to dedicate ourselves to serving the band, we also entered into a sort of unspoken contract to serve one another in kindness, friendship, and sisterhood. It is widely known and acknowledged what Tau Beta Sigma does for the band and the music community, but what is often most impactful is what it does for the happiness and friendships of the members within each wonderful, individual chapter of Tau Beta Sigma, National Honorary Band Sorority.

For the love of music

I love music because when I play, it demands my full attention. My mind canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wander to anything else. Grant Larkin - Tau Beta Sigma: Epsilon Theta

Oh, TBS Joshua Todd

Tau Beta Sigma: Theta Lambda

Oh, TBS! What opportunity to serve? What nobler sisterhood to learn? Together we the world shall turn. Oh, TBS! The splendor of the unknown waits. Our opportunity to take. Together for each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sakes. One another we depend on: We forever more. Each oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s makes her sweet harmony: Sisters like a chord. Oh, TBS! New pages in our life to turn. With music in our hearts we serve. Inspire greatness with our worth. Oh, TBS!

https://soundcloud.com/joshua-todd-633431132/oh-tbs 15

Changed Charleston Fox Kappa Kappa Psi: Nu Mu

The eighth note starts the piece Follow the bars and lines Words of those around begin to cease Nothing but movement with hidden signs Change comes through a key Move along with whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right Power through with clarity With nothing but black and white It is universal, keep in mind A coda or repeated things Think ahead or be left behind It is my love, my everything

Leadership

Above all, someone who finds honor in serving the group. Claudia Perez - Tau Beta Sigma: Gamma Epsilon

Things You Don’t Hear About But Should You?

Josh Garrett Kappa Kappa Psi: Iota

hat does visibility within your band program mean to you? Does it mean that you proudly wear letter shirts as much as possible and let band members know who does all of the service for the band? Or does it mean quietly running service projects in the background so that band members just think that the band program is amazing on its own with no help at all? There is no true right answer to the first question. But if you lean too far towards one side or the other on the last two questions, you risk isolation as a chapter from your band. The band members might see your organization as elitist and egotistic if you always remind people of who is doing the behind the scenes work and flash letters. Or if you do not show off your organization enough, you might have what happened to me when I was

offered a bid to my college’s Kappa Kappa Psi chapter. When I first was approached with an invitation to join Kappa Kappa Psi in the spring of my freshman year, the first thought to go through my head was “what do these guys do again? I know they serve lunch at band camp or some

thing”. I’ll admit, my ignorance was more of me being a stereotypical freshman my first semester and not paying attention to the finer details of our Psi chapter’s involvement in the band. The bid I received piqued my interest andmade me interested in what all being a member of the organi

Things You Don’t Hear About But Should You?

continued

zation entailed. In talking to brothers about those details, I began to see all of the countless unseen hours put into planning and executing service projects that made the band as a whole run so smoothly. The stand I would use in symphonic band that kept sliding down under the weight of my folder? Fixed without me thinking twice about it. Snack bags provided on away football trips that always left right at lunch time? I never thought about who the snack bag gods were, I was just happy to have something to put into my stomach. Those and many more exam

ples were problems fixed by our chapters. My experience is not unique to just me, however. Other band members that have received bids from our organization have asked brothers they knew ‘what do you guys do exactly?’ So then, what is the answer to this problem? Simply taking a second to think about how your chapters are perceived by the general band population at your college is a great first step. It’s important to think about how your image as a chapter is being portrayed. For example, sitting up on ‘Mt. Olympus’ is not the best way to serve your

fellow band members because you never want to think of yourself as better than them. The term ‘servant leader’ should be thought of when considering our job title within the band. However, being so behind the scenes with your service can lead to decreased membership and limited opportunities to serve the band in the future. Take a second to think about how your chapter is being perceived by your non-affiliated band members and see if your chapters can do anything to improve the way your image is broadcast. 20

My Second Home in Kappa Kappa Psi

Frank Marzen Kappa Kappa Psi: Iota

t all started at the 2017 Kappa Kappa Psi & Tau Beta Sigma National Convention; I was ecstatic to get to Orlando and meet the Presidents of the other five Districts, and to see many of the friends I had made over my previous two and a half years in Kappa Kappa Psi, while also making some new ones. I left my Uncleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apartment in Manhattan at 4:30 AM, where I was staying for the summer while working a software engineering internship, and hopped in an Uber bound for LaGuardia Airport. Everything was smooth sailing and we pushed back from the gate for our 7 AM flight, only to be turned around a few minutes later due to a malfunctioning hydraulic pump. I spent over twelve hours in LaGuardia that day, and missed much of the first day of National Leadership Conference, where the District Presidents

are taught how to lead their District and how to plan and execute a successful District Convention. I finally boarded a plane at 5:30 PM, and started to make my way to Florida. I eventually made it to the Buena Vista Hotel where convention was being hosted, and when I walked in the door to

check in, I was greeted by the five other District Presidents, all donning bathing suits; there was a lazy river at the hotel, and if you missed it, I am so sorry. While I knew that the other DPs would be waiting for me at the check-in counter, I never expected that I would fall head-over-heels in love with the girl stand

My Second Home in Kappa Kappa Psi

continued ing in the middle of all of them: NCD President Danielle Francis. By the time Labor Day had rolled around, the two of us were dating, but don’t get me wrong, none of this happened right away. It took me quite a long time to get up enough courage to actually talk to the girl after Convention. We poked fun at each other for a few weeks in the District President group chat before finally starting to ‘talk’, but from that point on, I knew we’d end up together. Now, as much as I know you would all love to hear a love story, that’s not what I’m going to give you. I have to find some way to tie this all back to the Fraternity, and I don’t think that telling you about the fact that she made us matching letter sweatshirts is enough to do so. Instead, I’m going to highlight some of the incredible experiences

I’ve been able to have due to the fact that I’ve been dating the coolest girl from the second-coolest District of Kappa Kappa Psi for the last 6 months. Coming up in the organization in the SED through my various Chapter and District roles, I learned much about how we operate as a District, but little about how the other Districts operated. The first thing that really intrigued me was the fact that the North Central District has a completely different event lineup than the Southeast. Their schedule is as follows: - Summer FUN-ction, a social gathering taking place in, you guessed it, the summer. - Membership Education Retreat, an event occuring in the Fall focused on Membership Education, both new-member and continuing.

- Leadership Conference, their third district event, discussing leadership and occuring in January. - Block Workshops, three day-long events, featuring workshops presented by the District Council, and hosted on campuses in each of the three ‘Blocks’ of the NCD: North, South, and West. - District Convention, which should be pretty self-explanatory. It blew me away to find out that a District held so many events during the year, coming from the background of the SED where we host only DLC and District Convention. Luckily for me, I was able to make it to some of these events and got the opportunity to see what they were about and how the NCD ran them. Membership Education Retreat (or MER), was the first event I made it to. It took place on the beautiful campus 22

My Second Home in Kappa Kappa Psi

continued

of Miami University (Oxford, not Coral Gables) on Sunday, October 8th, and it afforded me the opportunity to finally see what made the North Central District ‘tick’. I found that they were a group of extremely pas

sionate individuals who had a strong love for their Fraternity; that they were passionate about band and loved the camaraderie that exists when you put a bunch of band kids together. We spent the day listening

to workshops from the likes of Marco Krcatovich - National VPCM, Viet Nguyen - NCD VPM, and others. It was a great time, and I started to gain a better understanding of their District as a whole. The next event was their South Block workshop at the University of Louisville in February. This event focused on a breadth of topics, but it all boiled down to teaching Brothers skills that will help them enhance their and other’s experience in the Fraternity and in their college bands. I also learned that a segment of the Alpha Zeta chapter at Indiana University has known me as “that guy that didn’t give us sweet tea at NatCon”, which, while true, is a little unfair in my opinion; Kappa Mu told me there was only enough for the SED, and I was simply looking out for my people and making sure 23

My Second Home in Kappa Kappa Psi

continued that no Georgian or South Carolinian was left without tea. The point is, it was a great day of participating in workshops examining various topics that I believe enhanced my ability to serve my band and my Fraternity. Beyond the two events I’ve attended, I’ve had the chance to get to know Danielle’s chapter, Lambda Tau at Central Michigan University, which has been an absolute pleasure. I’ve spent a few weekends in Mount Pleasant, Michigan while visiting Dan

ielle, and many have afforded me the opportunity to talk with her Chapter Brothers and learn how their chapter and band operates. It has been incredible to see their chapter, which operates in a way that differ drastically from many SED chapters, serve their bands and their Fraternity to the fullest, and to get to know many of their great Brothers over the past few months. All-in-all, I’ve had a great time getting to know Brothers from across the eight states

that make up the NCD (though I’ve been informed that we don’t talk about Wisconsin). The insight that I’ve gained from the NCD and their Council has been extremely useful this year as I’ve been leading the Southeast, and I feel that I was a better President because of it. Not to mention, I’ve been so lucky as to get to know the bold, charismatic, and strong leader of their District, President Danielle Francis, who makes me proud to call myself her boyfriend.

Service

Excellent service is doing something someone would or could never do for themselves. Alyssa Candelmo - Kappa Kappa Psi: Iota

The First Annual Marching Chiefs 5k Kellie Fahy

Tau Beta Sigma: Alpha Omega

or the Alpha Omega Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma and the Gamma Nu Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi at Florida State University, the fall brings a lot of new things. There is a new marching band season, which of course brings new members to the band. There are new friends, new service projects, new leadership, and new meetings and ideas to make our chapters and the College of Music run more smoothly. However, during the fall of 2017 something very new came to be: the first annual Marching Chiefs 5k.

The 5k was run by the brothers of Gamma Nu, starting in the Ways and Means Committee. Adam Thompson spearheaded the project. According to him, the idea of a race had been tossed around for a while in the committee. Because our brothers knew it would require a lot of work to set one up, it was put on the backburner for many semesters, until one of our brothers decided to make the idea a reality. He started making arrangements over the summer during May and July. The major thing he had to do was get it

approved by the College of Music and by the head director of the Marching Chiefs, Dr. Patrick Dunnigan, which proved to be one of the biggest trials of the process. Dr. Dunnigan was cautious of attaching the Marching Chiefsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; name to anything. The off chance that something would go wrong, or somehow the 5k would not represent Chiefs in the best light was a big fear for him. However, not only did he race in the initial 5k, he is looking forward to running in many future Marching Chief 5ks and appreciated the successes of this

The First Annual Marching Chiefs 5k continued past year’s event. Adam and the Ways and Means Committee started at ground zero once the event was approved. Instead of jumping to a lot of different things, they took their time figuring out what exactly was needed and what was the best way to accomplish it. They had to contact the local police department so that roads could be cleared the day of. They knew they were going to need money, so sponsor letters were designed, written, and sent to many local businesses in Tallahassee. They knew they had to make shirts and flyers, which meant they needed a graphic that was unique and pleasing to the eye. So, they enlisted the help of a sister from Alpha Omega, Allison Owen. Allison designed every shirt, every flyer, and even the giant poster that was hung on Chiefs Field the day of the race.

For awards they felt that everyone deserved something, so every participant got a medal. They also gave out and

The event brought people together to serve the band

raffled off Fall Prism Tickets (a very exciting annual concert held at FSU), gift cards from sponsors, Marching Chiefs CD’s, and Seminole Sound (the basket

FSU), gift cards from sponsors, Marching Chiefs CD’s, and Seminole Sound (the basket ball pep band) apparel. Over 550 people signed up for race. The sisters of Alpha Omega, as well as many other bandsmen from Chiefs flocked to Gamma Nu’s aid. The day of the event there were tons of service opportunities. Small bands were set up around the course to cheer people on and encourage them as they ran the 3.2 miles. Most Chiefs loved the pep band at the end of the race and there is an incredible video of Dr. Dunnigan shouting, “THE COW” as he sings along to our stands tune “Hot Time” while crossing the finish line. Volunteers chalked the route of the race (twice), helped with check-in and timing the race, and handed out awards and water throughout the event. 28

The First Annual Marching Chiefs 5k continued While the 5k started with the brothers of Gamma Nu, it ended as a very large service event that brothers, sisters, and willing participants of the band could experience together. Now that it’s over, Adam feels really good about the future of the Marching Chiefs 5k. He and his committee set it up in a way that simplifies the process of arranging the event in the future. Adam really enjoys that he can leave that legacy and knows that potentially in 30 years he can come back to Florida State and still be able to run this race. He learned some fun things along the way, like if given the chance, at least one member of the Marching Chiefs will run a 5k in a dinosaur costume. Also, if given the chance, brothers from other schools in the district would be willing to drive and participate in such a huge event. Or,

that you can get bananas for a really cheap price. They bought way too many for the race because of this, and leftovers were used the next day at the Alumni Brunch that was held. He also learned that people really want to be able to use a Port-a-Potty every mile while running. Thesethings are a reminder that the first race isn’t perfect, but it is encouraging to have these opportunities to grow. He loves getting feedback so that he can make the adjustments

for next year’s 5k, and make it even better. What Adam loved the most though, was that it included so many people who weren’t in TBS and KKPsi. The event brought people together to serve the band, and it allowed them to understand a bit more about our music fraternities and sororities here at FSU and what they stand for. I think it goes without the saying that the brothers and sisters here look forward to every Marching Chiefs 5k that is to come.

Celebrating African American Musicians Tau Beta Sigma: Theta Rho

n Tuesday, February 20th, 2018, the Theta Rho Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma, in conjunction with Sigma Alpha Iota and NAfME (The National Association for Music Education) hosted a Black History Month Showcase. The event gave the students at Bethune-Cookman University a platform to display their talents, network with fellow musicians and also inform students about important musical achievements by African Ameri

cans. The showcase had 16 performances with a variety of talents; some of which included rapping, singing, spoken word, and instrumental interpretations of popular songs. There were also three intermissions: Guess That Theme Song, Musicians in Black History (group project) and a Soul Train Line. There were very positive reviews of the event. "Overall this event was a great demonstration of what we need on

campus. It was very exciting to be a part of something like this," said student/performer Eric Hubbard. "The event was very family oriented, and it was great seeing Tau Beta Sigma take the initiative by incorporating Sigma Alpha Iota and NAfME. They put together something for the students at the school to celebrate Black History Month as well as promoting unity among music organizations on campus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not only did I have a great time in general, I had a great time performing," said student/performer/Mr. TBS, Issac Williams. Theta Rho hosts this showcase annually and plans to expand and possibly collaborate with even more organizations in the future. It is well received by students and has proven to be benefi.cial to the empowerment of Bethune-Cookman University students. 30

Almost Invisible Illnesses Elizabeth Fusco

Tau Beta Sigma: Gamma Epsilon

y band program has been struggling lately with illness spreading through the band very quickly. Since I am a microbiology major, I decided to conduct an experiment for my fellow bandsmen to demonstrate to them how easily illness can be transmitted through our instruments. Last week I swabbed some mouthpieces and mouths, grew bacterial cultures, and submitted an article to my band’s newspaper, ‘The Windy Chord,’ for publication. My article is listed below. “Microbes are everywhere. They live in the

soil, air, water, and even our bodies! A lot of bacteria and fungi particularly enjoy living in our bodies because they thrive at our body temperature, and we also provide them with free food. We have a whole ecosystem of commensal organisms living in our gastrointestinal tract, and these organisms help us digest our food, absorb nutrients, and help keep out pathogenic organisms that make us sick. We also have this in our mouths, with the most common bacteria colonizing our mouths being streptococcus and staphylococcus species,

and the most common fungi being candida yeast. Because we have so many microbes living in our mouths, we transfer them to our instruments when we play them. Our mouthpieces create dark and moist (yes, I said the word moist) environments that aid the growth of bacteria and fungi. After a rehearsal, when you put your mouthpiece back in your case and don’t clean it before the next rehearsal, all the bacteria and fungi that you blew into your mouthpiece grow and accumulate, meaning that the next time you pick up your instrument to play you end up ingesting colonies of bacteria!!!! To make this more apparent, I decided to grow cultures of my mouth, my saxophone mouthpiece, a sousaphone player’s mouth, and their mouthpiece. In images of my findings, 31

Almost Invisible Illnesses continued

one picture shows the saxophone cultures, and another shows the sousaphone cultures. All of the plates have a lot of growth, which is to be expected because I’m not the greatest at keeping my mouthpiece clean. Something that surprised me though is that the mouthpiece cultures had more bacteria than the mouth cultures. A reason for this could be that microbes floating in the air stick to our mouthpieces as they blow by, colonizing them, or we relocate microbes from our gloves to our mouthpieces whenever we assemble and disassemble our instruments. There are two different types of plates: the red plates are blood agar plates which are particularly helpful in determining if you have a pathogenic strain of an organism. If the colonies have a green shine to them they are non pathogenic, but if they

have a clearing zone surrounding them then they are probably dangerous. The white plates are nutrient agar, which many organisms are able to easily grow on. So now I know, you all must be thinking “If these microbes already live in our bodies, why is it bad for them to be living in our instruments too?” The reason this is dangerous is because bacteria practice a process called horizontal gene transfer. Horizontal gene transfer allows bacteria to give their DNA to nearby bacteria. Pathogenic strains of bacteria contain ‘danger genes’ which encode for their virulence factors. They are able to turn normal bacteria into dangerous bacteria through horizontal gene transfer, so if the bacteria on your mouthpiece come into contact with pathogenic bacteria in the environment they are now able to make

you sick. Moral of the story: please clean your instruments! The more often you clean them the less chance you have of getting sick and spreading your illness throughout the band. If you have any questions on how to properly clean your instruments reach out to your section leaders, they will be happy to help!” I hope that my article educates both members of my band and other bands on the importance of regularly cleaning their instruments. If we all do our part to maintain cleanliness and good hygiene of our instruments hopefully our band programs can maintain good health for the rest of their seasons!

MLITB

When you have a bond this strong, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never be alone. It is unbreakable. Rebecca Strange - Tau Beta Sigma: Theta Lambda

We Love Our Brothers Tau Beta Sigma: Epsilon Theta

e, the Sisters of Tau Beta Sigma- Epsilon Theta, love our Brother Chapter, Kappa Kappa Psi- Iota. Why, you ask, are we so passionate about Iota? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re glad you asked! 1. Every current-day candidate, no matter TBS or KKPsi, receives a Big Brother and a Big Sister. Each candidate having two Bigs allows for deeper collaboration between individual Brothers and Sisters, introduces the candidates early-on to our intimate relationship with Iota, and widens their support system. The Brothers also attend all

the Membership Education meetings for their Little Sister. 2. The Big Brothers are so excited that they literally run (and some fall) to meet their Little Sister the night of Big-Little reveal. 3. The Big Brothers also compose a parody song that they sing to their Little Sister towards the end candidate of semester. 4. After the respective First and Third Degrees, the Executive Boards of KKPsi and TBS exchange roses or carnations. Each officer passes a flower to their counterpart in the other chapter twice a

semester through tango-inspired methods. 5. In the Spring, our Epsilon Theta Chapter hosts a date night with Iota, and in the Fall the Iota Chapter does the same. Past date nights have included volleyball tournaments, banquets, a Haunted House, and dinner. 6. Service: Especially at the beginning of the each semester, we complete large service projects with the Iota Chapter. Previous projects include constructing shelves for the tuba and percussion trucks and assessing and documenting brass and per

We Love Our Brothers continued

cussion instruments to sell. 7. Georgia Tech’s recruitment process is composed of an interest week and a Bid week. Some of these events are joint with our brothers, including one of the interest service projects (more service!) 8. KKPsi hosts Night of Musicianship (NOM) in the Fall and Spring Semesters the week before Finals. This event provides a welcome break from studying for Finals. At the end of the night, the Brothers and Sisters sing to one another. Being surrounded by our Brothers and singing is a

wonderful stress relief and promotes love in our relationship. 9. Another Big-Little Bonding activity is to build the “T” with our Littles. That’s a wooden T we build and decorate together as a memento of the process for Brothers and Sisters to sign. We encourage candidates to carry these “T’s” to band events, but of course they cannot carry these “T’s” while playing an instrument and/or marching. Therefore, the Big from the other organization makes a T-strap for the Little to be able to carry around and show off their “T”.

10. And finally, we as Sisters and Brothers present a united front to our band organizations. As such, candidates who receive a bid from both organizations often have to attend many interest events to determine which organization they prefer. Either way, whichever organization they choose, they will have the opportunity to help serve at Jazz, Concert, and Symphonic Band Receptions! Again, we love our Iota Chapter and are very lucky to have them as our Brothers!

What Stillwater Means to Me Blake Trauschke Kappa Kappa Psi: Alpha Eta

ith the end of the 2017 National Convention, we are already looking to what is next, the centennial of Kappa Kappa Psi being celebrated at the 2019 National Convention. In the summer of 2019, we are going back where it all started in 1919 to Stillwater, Oklahoma. I am from the Alpha Eta chapter at the University of Florida. We are all thrilled for the upcoming National Convention next summer. I am personally very excited for this next National Convention to go back to my home state of Oklahoma. I graduated high school in a small town outside of Tulsa and am passionate about the state and everything it has to offer. In high school, I had to go to Stillwater for various band events, so you can imagine my surprise to find a group of college kids in Gainesville, Florida who are

obsessed with a random small college town in Oklahoma. I then soon found out that it’s not just here in Gainesville but across the state, Southeast district, and country. But Stillwater was influencing me long before I knew what all this “AEA” and “Boh” stuff even was. Two out of the six high school band directors at my school went to Oklahoma State University’s

Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music. One of these directors taught me private lessons. He received the Bohumil Makovsky Outstanding Freshman Award in OSU’s marching band and was also an honorary brother of Kappa Kappa Psi. All of this I learned after becoming a brother myself. My director pushed me to a level as clarinet player I would have

What Stillwater Means to Me continued

never reached without his teachings. I picked up bass clarinet my senior year, and he taught me everything I know on that instrument which I still play for some ensembles at my university today. I went to Stillwater every year in high school for state solo and ensemble contest as well as for honor band. As a lot of musicians know, you learn so much at these band events in high school. You learn new music, new skills even and meet new

people. These events have left a remaining impact on my life. The last time I went to Stillwater was my freshman fall when I was a candidate last year. I had a free weekend and flew home. A friend drove me the hour out to Stillwater from Tulsa just so I could see it all now that I knew how important this place actually was to me and the organization I was becoming a part of. Stillwaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s motto is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Still Pioneering,â&#x20AC;? and I believe it is. Maybe not

in a literal sense like it was during the westward expansion, but each of us are pioneering in our own fields as musicians, as artists, and as students everyday all of this inspired by a couple of organizations founded in this Oklahoma town. I am ready for the Summer of 2019 to celebrate our centennial and for everyone to come and see my beautiful home state of Oklahoma.

Meet the SED Officers Kira Benton

Kappa Kappa Psi: Kappa Tau

Doâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Nyal - Tau Beta Sigma Southeast District President

What has surprised you the most about being a district officer? The amount of potential I see every day. What is a fun fact about you? I am a former Filipino Fire Dancer. I also am a sister of SAI and a Phi Mu Alpha Sweetheart. Do you have any pets? No, but I want two dogs named Gaga and Beyonce. What are your goals? Get a PR job in Atlanta, GA and hopefully one day become President of the United States of America.

Katelyn - Tau Beta Sigma Southeast District VPM

What was your major? Event Management What is your next step from here? I will take a few years to enjoy being a life member & then see where else TBS takes me. What has been your favorite moment on district council? Having the opportunity to present a workshop I was very passionate about at District Leadership Conference & then bonding with the council afterwards. Do pineapples belong on pizza? No!

RJ - Tau Beta Sigma Southeast District VPSP

What is a fun fact about you? I helped fold 3 sets of 1000 paper cranes once. My high school jazz band delivered them when we traveled to Hiroshima, Japan. We gave a set to the two high schools we visited, and one we hung up in the Peace Park. What has been your favorite moment on district council? Do'Nyal being late to our first council meeting because she fell asleep in the bathtub. Do pineapples belong on pizza? Yes, I understand if you don't like it personally, but sweet and sour is a classic.

Meet the SED Officers Kira Benton

Kappa Kappa Psi: Kappa Tau

Michelle - Tau Beta Sigma Southeast District Historian

What advice would you give the person elected to fill your position? Write everything down, take advice from the previous year’s officer and talk to them whenever you have questions, and don’t procrastinate!! DLC and SED creep up really quickly and it’s easy to become overwhelmed by everything you have to do. What is a fun fact about you? I own all 73 Jeffree Star liquid lipsticks, and am obsessed with Adam Driver. Do you have any pets? A rabbit named Presley, and a Green Cheek Conure named Boba!

Meagan - Tau Beta Sigma Southeast District Parliamentarian

What is your major? Dual majoring in History and Economics with a minor in education! What is a fun fact about you? Along with music, playing sports has always been one of my passions. I hope to be a softball coach in the future alongside teaching! What instrument do you play? Trumpet Do pineapples belong on pizza? ABSOLUTELY

Frank - Kappa Kappa Psi Southeast District President

What instrument do you play? Tenor Sax What is a fun fact about you? I didn't march a single football game in my junior or senior year of high school because I was on the football team. What has been your favorite moment on district council? National Convention, when I made motions to amend the national Constitution based on the Jurisdictional Committee’s recommendations. Do you have any pets? I have a cat named Coconut.

Meet the SED Officers Kira Benton

Kappa Kappa Psi: Kappa Tau

Brianna - Kappa Kappa Psi Southeast District VPM

Keith - Kappa Kappa Psi Southeast District VPP

Porter - Kappa Kappa Psi Southeast District Sec-Treas

Do you have any pets? Yeah! I have a snake, her name is Cleo! I also have a pup at home, and her name is Kayla! What else have you been involved in in college? I have been involved in Florida Alternative Breaks (FAB), which is a service opportunity in which University of Florida students serve a cause they are passionate about during a designated university break. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your favorite tradition from your band? My favorite tradition from my band is running through the tunnel to perform pregame in the Swamp every home game.

What is a fun fact about you? I am a dual citizen with the U.S. and Canada. What are your goals? My goals are to graduate this Fall and start working for Universal in their IT Department! What has been your favorite memory in the fraternity? My favorite memory of the fraternity was my first SED back in 2015 at UGA. I was newly initiated and it was my first time meeting brothers outside my chapter.

What has surprised you the most about being a district officer? I was appointed to the position about a month ago, I was very happy to be surprised by the amount of brothers who reached out to me regarding the projects I was starting and completing. I got a lot more support than I was expecting and I am truly humbled and grateful. What is a fun fact about you? I have two cats. One of them, Morgan, plays fetch just like a dog- but the only thing she will fetch are the darts shot from a NERF gun!

Crossword Puzzle Ryn Stuff

Tau Beta Sigma: Eta Phi

Crossword Puzzle Ryn Stuff

Tau Beta Sigma: Eta Phi

ACROSS 2: World event that changed the face of college bands 5: Honor, integrity, respect, loyalty 8: National Headquarters 9: TBS founder 10: Current Kappa Kappa Psi National President 12: Kappa Kappa Psi Founder 13: Essential Factors & Qualities 15: Kappa Kappa Psi brother, 1st man on the moon 16: The sport that plays on either side of the marching band's performance Down 1: Kappa Kappa Psiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s official flower 3: Tau Beta Sigma's official flower 4: Tau Beta Sigma Sister, hip-hop and R&B artist, actress 6: Home to both Alpha chapters 7: Current Tau Beta Sigma National President 11: Guiding Spirit, Kappa Kappa Psi 14: The band member that waves their arms around

Answers on Page 44

Behind the Eighth Note Kappa Kappa Psi Advisor: Keith Pringle Chair: Kira Benton Blake Trauschke Libby Hennington

Tau Beta Sigma Advisor: RJ Gammon Chair: Hunter Burchfield Karina Tamayo Ryn Stuff

Which Eighth Note Committee Member are YOU?

https://goo.gl/DHAAas

The Eighth Note

Southeast District. Kappa Kappa Psi. Tau Beta Sigma. 2018.

ACROSS: 2-World War II, 5-Code of Conduct, 8-Stillwater Station, 9-Wava Banes, 10-Evan Thompson, 12-William A Scroggs, 13-Eight to Five, 15-Neil Armstrong, 16-Football DOWN: 1-Carnation, 3-American Beauty, 4-Quee Latifah, 6-Oklahoma A&M, 7-Jonathan Markowski, 11-Bohumil Makovsky, 14-Drum major