The Delta Omega chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia performed for a crowd of students, family and alumni in the Pottle Recital Hall, on Monday, April 30. The fraternity is the largest and oldest that is solely focused on music. It was born in 1898 in Boston, Mass. and became a national fraternity in 1900.
According to the current faculty advisor of Phi Mu Alpha, Dr. Stephen Suber, “the concert was organized and presented in loving memory of Dr. James Wilcox, who is a former department head emeritus of the department of music, and was dean emeritus of the former college of humanities.”
Dr. James Henry Wilcox, who passed away last January, was a former music department head in 1964 and also the original faculty advisor of Phi Mu Alpha. He retired, but still retained his title.
Dr. Ronald Traylor of the department of history and political science was the master of ceremonies for the night, and he was also a former music student at Southeastern in the 60’s. Traylor claims how becoming a “Sinfonian” in the music department was a highly sought after position, and that Dr. Wilcox is responsible for creating the desire for young men wanting to become members.
“Dr. Wilcox was a dear friend and mentor to me,” said Traylor, “and being a Sinfonian has always been a ‘big deal’ in our music department.  Everyone seemed to know those who were members, and they most desired to receive a membership bid.  We knew Dr. Wilcox was a member, and our respect for him was so great that we desired to emulate him in all things, including Sinfonian membership. We sought to follow his example because our respect for him was so great.”  
Dr. Wilcox’s family attended the performance and accepted a lifetime achievement award on his behalf. During his tenure at Southeastern, Wilcox was involved with the expansion of the Ralph R. Pottle Music Building and is credited with the addition of the music annex. Later in his career, Wilcox was named Professor Emeritus of Music, and even today, his influence is still felt by the brothers of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
“Dr. Wilcox and I were friends for two years before he passed. The Brothers of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia visited him twice a week to share our love and music [with him]. He was a true treasure to our organization, school and community,” said Aaron Turnipseed, musical director of Phi Mu Alpha.
Turnipseed conducted the night performances of jazz and a capella pieces as well as the fraternity’s hymn, “Song of Sinfonia” and covers of songs by artists such as Frank Sinatra and Billy Joel. At the end of the evening, called a success by both audience and Sinfonian alike, eighteen new members of Phi Mu Alpha were introduced.
“As Music director I have the honor of planning all music event and I thought this was the best of them all. My brothers worked hard performing and it came together nicely,” said Turnipseed after the show. “After I learned of Dr. Wilcox’s passing last January, I decided to organize this concert in his honor. Planning what songs to perform was not an easy task, and we like to provide a wide variety of music.”
Junior mass communications major Jonathan Price is a lover of music, and didn’t mind at all that the performance was over two hours long.
“This was just so great,” said Price. “I love coming to things like this, the music always makes the long hours worth it.”