Dear Brothers,
I’m deeply pleased to announce the initiation of Brother Brian McKinley Stratton, Delta Omega (Southeastern Louisiana) ’79, into the National Honorary Alpha Alpha Chapter at the Leadership Institute, July 24, 2010. Brother Stratton has distinguished himself as a musician of international reputation and has brought honor to Phi Mu Alpha by displaying an outstanding commitment and dedication to his profession, demonstrating himself as a successful role model and helping others realize their potential, and representing Sinfonia’s ideal of the “manly musician and musicianly man.” Brother Stratton joins a long list of distinguished Sinfonians to be honored by the Fraternity�s as a National Honorary member (see below).
Brother Stratton has given three decades of service to Sinfonia. He was elected to the first class of Collegiate Province Representatives in 1982 and served as a delegate to the transformational Assembly in 1985. He has served as Governor of Province 14 since 1995, and was the Fraternity’s first African-American National Executive Committee member, as National Vice President for the triennium 1997-2000.
Brother Stratton has enjoyed a successful career as a concert artist and music educator. At age 24 he conducted the World’s Fair Barbershop Chorus for international audiences. In 1988, he was a regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions. He has performed opera, concert recitals, Broadway reviews, and oratorio both in the United States and abroad. Brother Stratton has appeared at the White House on four occasions, performing American folk music, Broadway tunes, Christmas music, and Spirituals for Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and William Jefferson Clinton.
For nearly 22 years, Mr. Stratton was a member and featured soloist with the acclaimed Moses Hogan Chorale and Singers. His concert performances and over a dozen recordings have received wide acclaim worldwide. He is also featured on the CD “Voices” on the Windham Hill label, and with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on their CD “An American Heritage of Spirituals.” Since 2003 he has worked to promote the Spiritual arrangements of Mr. Hogan and other renowned composers and arrangers in workshops, seminars, and choral clinics around the world. Brother Stratton has served as a choral clinician and conductor for choirs in Oregon, Michigan, Georgia, Louisiana, Alaska, Texas, Indiana, and New York. In 2004, he was one of only two clinicians from the United States at the World Projects-International Australian Music Festival held in Sydney and Bathurst, Australia. He has also conducted vocal workshops in France, Estonia, and Russia.
No one who was present at the Leadership Institute will soon forget Brother Stratton’s inspirational message following the conferring of National Honorary membership. We thank him for many years of dedicating his spirit, talent, and treasure to Sinfonia and to music, and heartily congratulate him as our newest National Honorary Sinfonian!
From the Desk of:
John Alan Mongiovi, National President
president@sinfonia.org
