Lyrecrest

Lyrecrest is the national headquarters facility of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, located on the northern outskirts of Evansville, Indiana. The facility’s address is 10600 Old State Road, which coincidentally corresponds to October 6, 1900, on which date the Fraternity became a national organization. The property was acquired in 1970, at a purchase price of $51,250. The property is bordered to the north by a horse farm, to the east and south by a residential area, and to the west by Clearcrest Pines Golf Course. Several miles to the north is Vanderburgh County 4-H Fairgrounds. Less than four miles from the Evansville Regional Airport, Lyrecrest is just over three hours from Indianapolis and two and a half hours from St. Louis by car.

The headquarters of the Fraternity had moved from Murray, Kentucky to Evansville in 1967 upon the death of National Secretary-Treasurer Price Doyle. For many years, the Fraternity's headquarters had simply been wherever the National Secretary-Treasurer lived. Initially, the Fraternity occupied office facilities in downtown Evansville, in anticipation of a Fraternity-supported American Music Museum that never materialized.

The Road to Evansville: Boston, Chicago, Murray

Boston (1898-19??)For many years, the headquarters of the Fraternity was essentially wherever the national secretary-treasurer made his home and office. In the earliest days of the Fraternity, Boston and the New England Conservatory served as a "de facto" headquarters.

Chicago (1919?-1967?)As of 1937-1939, the Fraternity was based at 64 East Jackson Boulevard in Chicago, Illinois (also the headquarters of Lutton Music Personnel Service), less than eight blocks east of the present site of the Sears Tower and about two blocks west of Lake Michigan. It is likely that the headquarters had been in Chicago as early as 1919, when Charles E. Lutton became supreme-secretary treasurer. Ias of the 1922 national convention held in Chicago, the national office was located at the Lyon and Healy Building in Chicago.

Murray, Kentucky (1949-1967)From 1949 to 1967 (a total of eighteen years), the headquarters was based in Murray, Kentucky (approximately one-hundred-forty miles southwest of Evansville), the home of Price Doyle and Murray State University.

In 1964, the executive committees of the Fraternity and what was then known as the Sinfonia Foundation voted to accept an offer by the City of Evansville to locate its offices in a facility known as America's Music Hall of Fame. This project was part of the work of two urban renewal groups: Evansville's Future, Inc. and the Central Evansville Improvement Corporation. The plan was for the Fraternity and foundation to occupy the entire lower level, and the Hall of Fame to occupy the entire ground floor level. The building was to be located next to the Civic Auditorium under construction at that time. According to the March 1964 issue of the Sinfonian, hotels, shops, and recreational facilities were also to be included in the comprehensive civic center.

One of the rationales given for the move to Evansville was that at that time, with a population of 220,000, it was the largest city nearest the population center of the United States [March 1964 Sinfonian, p. 1] .

LeRoy P. Offerman, a 1937 initiate of the Gamma Delta chapter at Murray State University and an Evansville community leader, was appointed Director of Development for the proposed hall of fame.

Plans for the hall of fame never materialized, but the Fraternity moved to Evansville anyway in 1967. The Fraternity was based from 1967 to 1970 in the Southern Securities Building, with Alan E. Adams serving as Executive Secretary. The Fraternity occupied Lyrecrest itself in 1970. Some years later, in 1997, the Fraternity discussed partnering with a proposed Classical Music Hall of Fame in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Name

The name "Lyrecrest" is derived from the "lyre" (which is an important symbol in the Greek traditions of the Fraternity) and the fact that the home sits on the "crest" of a hill.

Introduction to Facilities

Lyrecrest currently includes three major buildings: the original Lyrecrest home (occupied by the Fraternity in 1970 as an office facility); the Robert H. Bray Cottage (dedicated as a dormitory-style bunkhouse or guesthouse in 1992); and “Lyrecrest North”, a home on several acres to the north that was acquired in 1998, and which currently houses the Fraternity’s archival exhibits. Lyrecrest North also provides housing for a Fraternity staff member, as well as short-term housing for Lyrecrest visitors.

Facilities

The Main Building

The top level (second floor) of the main house has two rooms previously used as bedrooms, with two full bathrooms (both of which are located on the west side of the building) that are directly accessible from the two main rooms. The north room currently serves as the office of the Fraternity's executive director, Ryan Ripperton. In the 1990s, the room was used to house the Fraternity’s archival exhibits. For a short time in the same period, the north room also served as the conference room.

The south room on the second floor currently serves as both the office of the Fraternity's executive assistant, Debra Celuch, and a reading room. Included in the room’s collection are bound copies of the early Sinfonia Yearbooks, along with books by authors that were known to influence Fraternity founder Ossian E. Mills. In the 1980s and 1990s, this room was known as the Price Doyle Memorial Conference Room, in recognition of Doyle’s desire to establish a permanent headquarters facility for the Fraternity. For a short time in the 1990s, this room also served as the archival exhibit room.

During the early 1990s, the walls lining the stairway to the second floor displayed photographs of then current national officers. The autographed photos of famous Sinfonians were later relocated here following their removal from the entrance foyer on the ground level.

On the main level (first floor) are a main entrance room or lobby area (which has from time to time served as an office for secretaries and/or receptionists), two former bedrooms currently used as staff offices, a work room (probably a former kitchen), an additional room that has been used as an office (probably a former dining room), and a sunroom (which has been used as an office).

Upon entering by the front door, and turning to the right into the main room, visitors will find a preserved laurel wreath on display that was used at the 1998 Founder's Day Ceremony and memorial service for Ossian E. Mills in Thompson, Connecticut. Over the fireplace is a reproduction of a black and white portrait of Mills. On the west wall of this room hang photographs of each of the Charles E. Lutton Man of Music Award winners. During the 1990s, a fraternity coat-of-arms (donated by Robert H. Bray) hung over the fireplace, and in the 1970s, art deco style “Phi”, “Mu”, and “Alpha” letters hung there. They were in place as early as 1970, as evidenced by a photograph of Aaron Copland visiting the property. As of 2003, these letters had been relocated to the wall of the front sitting room of the Bray cottage.

The main “club” room on the main part of the ground floor (basement) is the primary meeting area of the main building. As of 2003, this room featured portraits of each of the Fraternity's National Presidents, as well as each current member of the National Executive Committee. The room has been known to hold several dozen people for events such as the CPR Convocation, Province Governors' Convocation, and smaller meetings of the National Executive Committee, the Commission on Standards, and various Fraternity committees. A wet bar was located in the northwest corner of the club room until it was sold by auction in the spring of 2004. The bar was removed following a 1997 ban on alcohol consumption at Lyrecrest and an increasing need to maximize the room's space as a meeting facility. However, on the walls surrounding where the bar previously was, many mugs and steins hang, representing colleges and universities with Sinfonia chapters. This room also features a piano donated by the Delta Iota chapter at Western Michigan University. This room also houses an oil painting of Ossian E. Mills that was first unveiled and presented at the Sinfonia Foundation banquet at the 1991 National Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana. The portrait previously hung in the entrance room on the main floor. The painting was relocated to the club room when a reproduction of a black-and-white photograph of Mills (the original of which had been in the possession of the Mills family) was hung in its place over the fireplace mantle. The main part of the ground floor has a kitchen and large utility room which previously had been used to store Fraternity merchandise.

A ground floor level “south wing” was built on to the main building at some point prior to the purchase of the property by the Fraternity. It is believed that this wing was built to house pipe organ equipment for a previous owner. A room in the wing area facing the front of the property (just south of the main “club” room) was used as the office of Scott B. Sanders in the early 1990s, and later by Executive Director Jamie Morris. It is today part of the shipping area. The rear entrance foyer for several years housed the Sinfonia Wall of Fame, which consisted of numerous autographed photos of well-known Sinfonians. These photographs were eventually relocated due to the damaging effect that sunlight had on many of the photos. A room on the south end of the building accessible only from the outside served as a remote archival storage facility as of 2003.

The Robert H. Bray Cottage

The Robert H. Bray Cottage was formerly a garage and servants quarters prior to the purchase of the property by the Fraternity. It was dedicated in January 1991 as an official guesthouse for brothers visiting Lyrecrest, particularly for the CPR Convocation. Bray was an initiate of the Beta Mu chapter at Central Methodist College in Fayette, Missouri. The naming of the cottage in his honor was partly to recognize his many tangible gifts to the Lyrecrest property over the years (particularly during the early 1990s). The cottage can provide sleeping accommodations for 22, and features a large room with bunk beds, a smaller bedroom in the rear, and an entrance room that may be used as a sitting room or for overflow sleeping areas. When the building was first dedicated, a large St. Louis, Missouri poster (which was the designated host city of the upcoming national convention in 1994) graced the walls, along with matching sets of red, black, and gold bath towels and washcloths. Currently, the walls of the cottage are adorned with t-shirts from chapters who've visited the cottage. The cottage also features a 1942 (video game) console.

During the late 1990s, a grant from the Sinfonia Foundation provided for comprehensive renovations of several areas of the main house and adjacent grounds. The sterile institutional feel of the main and upper levels gave way to a more home-like atmosphere.

Lyrecrest North

The “Lyrecrest North” property serves two purposes, to house the Fraternity’s archives as well as provide housing for staff members. The building has two levels, a main floor and a basement. The front main room on the main floor contains rotating Fraternity exhibits. One of the unique artifacts kept in this room is the stained glass figure of the word “Sinfonia” which originally was set over the door of the Alpha Chapter room at the New England Conservatory. The stained glass was obtained by the Fraternity through special arrangements with the Conservatory circa 1998. A bedroom facing the front of the building is limited to viewing by Sinfonians only. The back room contains files and shelving to house the Fraternity’s main historical archives (as of 2003, specific chapter related archival material was still kept in the main building). Prior to the consolidation of the Fraternity’s historical archives in this area, materials were scattered throughout the property in odd places, some of which were even kept in damp conditions in a dilapidated storage shed. In addition, a safe in this building provides for storage of the Fraternity’s most valued archival material to prevent loss due to fire or other natural disasters. Other rooms in the building are dedicated to staff housing and overflow housing for Lyrecrest events.

Grounds

In addition to the above named buildings, there are three garage facilities.

In the rear of the property is a small pond or lake (which has been described as resembling an upside down piano), an oil well (which predates the fraternity’s purchase of the property), and several acres of undeveloped land (approximately 30-40% of the property on the western side of the estate, which borders the Clearcrest Golf Course, is forest area). A storage building was razed around 1999 behind the main building to provide additional parking. Wild coyotes have been reported to roam the wooded areas of the property.

When in season, chrysanthemums (the official Fraternity flower) are planted in front of the main building.

History

Prior to the purchase of the property of the house in 1970, a death is believed to have occurred in the main building, leading to the belief in and tradition of a “Lyrecrest ghost” referred to as “Burr.”

Composer and honorary Sinfonian Aaron Copland visited Lyrecrest in 1970.

An intruder broke into the main building of Lyrecrest in the early 1970s.

The National Conventions of 1976 and 1979 were held in Evansville, allowing convention attendees to visit the headquarters property; main activities of the convention were held on nearby university campuses.

Beginning in the mid-1980s, Lyrecrest was the site of the annual Collegiate Province Representative (CPR) convocation, typically held during the week between Christmas and New Years Day. For several years, a tradition of the attendees of the convocation was to “ring in” the New Year for each time zone in which the fraternity had an existing chapter. Work weekends were also begun in the late 1980s to allow fraternity members to spend a weekend at Lyrecrest assisting with landscaping and other labor needs.

In August 1992, the first Leadership Conclave was held on the campus of the University of Evansville. Although activities were not held at Lyrecrest, a welcoming cookout was held the first day of the conclave on the grounds at Lyrecrest, followed by a welcoming session by national president Robert L. Hause and Sinfonia Foundation president Doug Stewart.

For many years, the "Run for the Gold" was a Fraternity tradition, whereby chapters attempt to be the first to turn in their chapter reports. Beginning in the late 1990s, chapter retreats began to take place at Lyrecrest. These educational opportunities for chapter bonding and learning grew out of the more informal “road trips” taken by chapters to Lyrecrest in the past.

The belated thirtieth anniversary of the occupancy of Lyrecrest by the Fraternity was celebrated at the 2001 Conclave, held in Evansville.

In 2002, an earthquake struck Evansville, causing somewhat significant damage to the “south wing” area of the ground floor of the main building in an area that was used for the fraternity store, resulting in a collapsed floor. In the wake of the earthquake, the Fraternity was able to perform major enhancements to that area of the building, conducting renovations that made the area more conducive for shipping, mailing, and storage. A second earthquake struck the American midwest on April 18, 2008. However, in the immediate aftermath of the quake there was no noticeable damage to the Lyrecrest property.

Residents

In addition to serving as an office and retreat facility for the Fraternity, staff members have resided at Lyrecrest from time to time. During the 1990s, Scott B. Sanders, then serving as director of publications and alumni affairs, occupied a bedroom in the “south wing” area of the ground level behind the room that served as his office. Chapter consultants Roger White and Jim Johnson shared a room nearby to the rear of the wing (although both of whom spent a great deal of time on the road due to the nature of their work). Ryan Ripperton lived at Lyrecrest North when initially hired at Lyrecrest in 1999, followed by then-retreat coordinator Jeremy Evans in 2002. After Evans, his successor, Sean Leno, occupied the property from 2003 to 2005, followed by Jared Ivory (2005-2006), Matthew Downing (2006-2007), and Jared Madison (2007-present). In addition, Barry Magee’s dog stayed on the property in the early 1990s.

taff Members

The following is an incomplete chronological list of Sinfonians and non-Sinfonians (with their primary titles) who have served on the Lyrecrest staff since the facility opened in 1970. Those names appearing in italics served as chief administrator at one point or another.

1970s
*LeRoy P. Offerman, ??, 1970?-19??
*"Alan E. Adams", Executive Director, early 1970s-1978
*"Dan Beeman", Executive Director, 1978-1983

1980s
*"Jylene Wright", Interim Director/Director of Lyrecrest, late 1970s-1985? (only female Sinfonian to work at Lyrecrest, initiated as an honorary member by a chapter in Wisconsin)
*"Ed Klint", Director of Development/Executive Director, 1983-1987
*"Kelley Alig", Executive Director, 1987-1989?
*Jacky Howlett, Director of Financial Affairs, late 1980s/early 1990s
*Barry Magee, Director of Collegiate Affairs, c. 1985-1996?
*Scott B. Sanders, Director of Publications/Alumni, 1989-mid 1990s

1990s
*Betty Pence, Secretary, early to mid 1990s
*Janet Wade, Secretary, early to mid 1990s
*Linda Hassell, Secretary, early to mid 1990s
*Jim Johnson, Chapter Consultant, 1992-1995
*Roger White, Chapter Consultant, 1992-1993
*Mark Montemoyer, Chapter Consultant, 1993-1994
*"Gary Ingle", Executive Director, 1994-1995
*"Jeffrey T. Spoeri", Interim Executive Director, c. 1997
*"Bruce Clausen", Executive Director, c. 1997
*"Jamie Morris", Executive Director, c. 1996-2002
*"Ryan T. Ripperton", Executive Director, 1999-present

2000s
*Cheri Spicer, Administrative Coordinator, 2000?-2007
*Andrew Miller, Interim Director of Programs and Services, 2002
*Terrell L Weatherford, Director of Programs and Services, 2002-2004
*Jeremy Evans, Retreat Coordinator, 2002-2003, and Assistant Executive Director, 2004-present
*Sean Leno, Retreat Coordinator, 2003-2005
*Dan Krueger, Director of Alumni Engagement, 2004-present
*Jared Ivory, Retreat Coordinator, 2005-2006
*Matt Garber, Sinfonia Educational Foundation Director of Development, 2006-present
*Matthew Downing, Retreat Coordinator & Programs Associate, 2006-2007
*Jared Madison, Retreat Coordinator & Programs Associate, 2007-present