Music chapters from across the Midwest are coming to Hillsdale for Province Day, hosted by the women’s music fraternity Sigmas Alpha Iota Saturday March 29.
Province Days are designed to unite multiple chapters from one region for bonding, and to highlight the unique culture of the hosting chapter. Multiple province and regional officers will also be in attendance.
“We’ve been planning this since November because there are multiple parts of the day that require lots of prep, including ‘Phlea-phlam,’ which is a time for chapters to sell crafts, and musical performances when different chapters can present pieces they’ve worked on,” Emily Griffith, chapter president, said.
The day will feature speeches, a chapter history presentation, an Alexander Technique workshop by Lecturer of Theatre and Dance and SAI alumna Tory Matsos, and multiple musical performances, all in McNamara Recital Hall.
According to Griffith, the chapter will perform a group number called “Wild Flowers,” which was a part of its concert last semester. There will also be a small number performed by Tuition and Fees, whose members are all in SAI.
“As far as organizing goes, Emily has been almost exclusively on top of that, communicating with our province officer and everyone who is involved,” senior Phoebe Vanheyningen said. “We are a lucky chapter under fearless leadership.”
This will be the first Province Day Hillsdale’s Mu Chapter has hosted in years since membership recently rapidly expanded under seniors Griffith, Fiona Mulley, and Vanheyningen. After the chapter announced it was closing in the spring of 2022, the three women joined to revive the campus music community.
“When the SAI chapter at Hillsdale announced it was closing, Phoebe, Fiona and I got together and decided to join in order to help maintain a place for women on campus to explore their love of music,” Griffith said. “And the rest is history, now we have over 30 members.”
Mulley, the current songmaster of the chapter, assisted in planning the media and concert portion of the event.
“There is something so rewarding about being a part of a musical community based on one’s love of music rather than a sense of obligation,” Mulley said.” It has been such a joy to work with and uplift the women I’ve met through SAI by creating music together because we want to, not because we have to.”
Griffith said SAI allows students to enjoy music without the stress of competition or performance.
“Music is sacred, and through a liberal arts education at Hillsdale, students are able to explore all kinds of art alongside their other studies,” Griffith said. “Music builds character, discipline, and an appreciation for life itself. SAI helps students use the music opportunities Hillsdale provides in a more casual setting that is just as focused on sisterhood as it is on performance.”
