About Us

Presentation 1940s-50s

Band Service at the University of Minnesota

“Tau Beta Sigma is a national honorary band sorority dedicated to serving college and university band programs. The sorority operates primarily as a student service and leadership recognition society whose chief aim is to assist the Director of Bands in developing the leadership and enthusiasm that they require of their band. Our goals are not only to provide the band with organized and concentrated service activities, but to give our membership valid and wholesome experiences in organization, leadership, and social contacts. The honorary nature of membership is based on our premise that “it is an honor to be selected to serve” – this band, its department of music, its sponsoring institution, the cause of band music in the nation’s colleges and universities.” (From the national sorority website, www.tbsigma.org.)

The Alpha Iota chapter of Tau Beta Sigma promotes greater bands through service, social, and fundraising activities for band communities in and around the University of Minnesota. We donate our time to the bands through service projects like helping rookies move-in for band camp, teaching high school students to chair step march at our Band Clinic Day, and organizing musical events at venues around campus and Minneapolis. Our chapter also hosts social activities such as an ice cream social, a formal riverboat dance function, and de-stress nights for band members. Of course, we wouldn’t be able to do any of this without fundraising. We hold a Penny Wars fundraiser fueled by inter-section competition, participate in profit-sharing, host bake sales, and sell marching band apparel. We use proceeds to fund band scholarships and other donation and service projects. Our combination of service, social, and fundraising activities allow us to fulfill Tau Beta Sigma's mission of serving bands through cultivating leadership, educational achievement, music appreciation, and community development while promoting equality and diversity, including empowering women in the band profession.

History

In the early days of the band, service and social activities were handled not by a specific group but by an elected president, secretary and treasurer within the band. An informal social organization was founded by director Bert Rose in 1913, but this was primarily only for the purpose of socialization and not for service. The band was forever changed, however, when director Michael Jalma arrived in 1920. Jalma, fresh from directing army bands in France during WWI felt that the formation of an organization to foster service and fraternity outside of band was essential, and thus founded a social structure for a service and social organization known simply as the Band Social Organization (BSO). All band members were a part of this group.

Complementing the BSO was an honorary fraternity, Phi Sigma Phi, founded in February 1922, and composed only of upperclassmen. Theta Nu, a sister sorority was founded during the winter quarter of 1944 with the same purpose of trying to advance the band. The focus of these organizations was service, though they also undertook social events alongside the BSO. Aspirations for larger projects led Theta Nu to petition the national organization of TBS, and finally in 1952, it was transformed into the 33rd chapter of Tau Beta Sigma, with the designator Alpha Iota.

Unfortunately, with the Vietnam War and counter culture movement in the 1960s, membership in fraternal organizations was becoming less popular and membership declined. The Alpha Iota chapter fell inactive in 1970 due to a lack of interest. The BSO, however, remained active.

By the mid 1970s, membership in the BSO was almost exclusively marching band members as interest from concert band members had waned. Noting this, and the lack of support for the concert bands, director Barry Kopetz began work to reinstate the Alpha Iota chapter of TBS between 1987-1988. The chapter was formally reinstated on June 2, 1990, and sponsored by the North Dakota State University chapter.

Our core values, here in the Alpha Iota chapter at the University of Minnesota, are directly in line with our National Chapter site.

Click here for more information about our core values.

Links Pride of Minnesota | National TBS | Midwest District | UMN - KKPsi

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