New Guys

It's that time of year when Phi Mu Alpha is beginning the pledge process for a group of new guys. In fact, official installation of the potentials to probationary members is tonight! I wanted to write about an incredible experience involving both the potentials and the brothers. On Saturday, we delivered bids (which are formal invitations to join PMA as a probationary member aka pledge) and asked them to meet us in the Hill Hall auditorium at 10:00 PM if they wished to accept the offer. As it got close to 10:00, I hitched a ride to Hill Hall in a carfull of brothers and potentials. The energy between everyone was tangible, as everyone was curious to see who was going to be there!

When we got to Hill, the group I rode up with stood in the rotunda outside the auditorium chatting with some brothers. I thought I heard faint singing coming from the auditorium, but I couldn't see anyone in there. When I went to investigate, I found a group of about four or five brothers and a potential or two standing around a brother playing piano backstage. They were singing "Piano Man" which carries significance to my own pledge class. I joined in, and as the song progressed more and more joined in. By the end of the song, there were probably twenty to thirty men all standing with their arms around each other, belting out "SING US A SONG, YOU'RE THE P'ANO MAN!!!" It was a great bonding experience having everyone join in like that!

After a while we all congregated on the stage and began to discuss where we were going to eat for dinner to celebrate. For some reason that's still unknown to me, somebody started clapping a rhythm; it was a rhythm similar to the one in John Fogerty's song, Centerfield. Somebody started clapping the off beats, and I started making sixteenth notes in between the eighth notes. The next thing you know, everyone was clapping and stomping their own rhythm. It was an impromptu drum circle, and everyone had a blast just playing whatever rhythm came to them. It went on for several long energy-filled minutes. When it finally fizzled out, everyone applauded each other and asked "What the hell was that, what just happenened!?"

I'm excited to begin the pledge process with these guys, we have a really impressive group of guys. I think that the two spontaneous musical events that happened up on that stage show just how strong of a music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is, and what it always will be.