SINFONIA MEMBERS GOING BALD FOR BUCKS

By Evan Miller
The Indiana Statesman

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Competitors in Phi Mu Alpha's annual fundraiser may end up with heads as smooth as their voices. In an attempt to raise money, these students will risk going bald for their musical brotherhood.

The Sinfonian who collects the most money by Friday at 3 p.m. will be publicly shaved or waxed.

All four of the candidates up for shaving are active members of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. They are senior music education major Kyle Govert, junior music business major Nathan Warren, senior music education major David Perkins and senior Dustin Leinenbach.

"It's one of the better fundraisers out there," said Abrianne Rardin, a senior music business major. "It's more fun for students to participate in," she said.

Phi Mu Alpha, the musical fraternity at ISU, has been doing this fundraiser for over a decade. "We're a fraternal organization of men devoted to music and its advancement in America," said Christopher Haddad, a senior music education major. "We accept any person who loves music and devotes their life to its prosperity."

Haddad has been in the fraternity since his first semester and is currently Phi Mu Alpha's longest-serving active member. "I'm the old guy," he said.

"I'm currently winning," Perkins said. Perkins has decided to have his legs waxed if he wins. "Typically, we consider the winner the loser," he said.

The winning Sinfonian will be shaved in the basement of the Fine Arts building Oct. 16. Students interested in donating may bring any amount to the table set up outside room 150 of the Center for Performing and Fine Arts today and tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"This is something we've been doing a long time," said Tyler Alexander, event coordinator and senior history major. "The money is used to advance music in several ways."

Recitals and music missions are both partially funded by the money raised. Alexander mentioned the money could also go to helping Jazzfest next year.

In a final act of fraternal brotherhood Phi Mu Alpha president Kurt Waywood has agreed to shave his own head if the fraternity collects more than $250 dollars total. No matter who wins, you can bet it will be a close shave.

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