Student Organizations

ASTA, the Penn State student chapter of the American String Teachers Association, is open to all Penn State students who have an interest in playing or teaching stringed instruments. Members receive the national journal, the American String Teacher, as well as Stringboard, the journal of the PA chapter. Members are eligible to attend and participate in state and national conventions and competitions and have access to a range of publications and information, including the ASTA Publications Library and the Media Resource Center, a job referral service, as well as low-cost instrument insurance. The Penn State chapter also sponsors workshops and demonstrations, field trips, and other activities related to string playing and teaching. The faculty adviser is Dr. Robert Gardner.

PCMEA, Pennsylvania Collegiate Music Educators Association, is the student chapter of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Membership is open to all students in the School of Music. Music education majors are strongly urged to join. Members receive the Music Educators Journal, Teaching Music, and the PMEA News and are eligible to attend state and national conventions. The organization also sponsors workshops and demonstrations on topics of interest to musicians and educators and assists with activities such as the PMEA Elementary Sing, the Pennsylvania Special Olympics State Games, and the School of Music auditions.

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is a professional fraternity dedicated to excellence in the pursuit of musical endeavors and the advancement of American music. The Penn State chapter, Alpha Zeta, sponsors a dance band, German band, Dixieland band, brass quintet, The Dreamers vocal ensemble, and a barbershop quartet. This is in addition to the W. Paul Campbell Scholarship and annual service projects offered to the School of Music and its students. The Alpha Zeta chapter has the largest alumni group of any chapter in the country and a national reputation for excellence. The faculty adviser is Professor Mark Lusk.

Pi Kappa Lambda is a national music honor society now comprising 200 chapters. It was established in 1918 by Peter Christian Lutkin whose initials, PKL, were used in their Greek equivalents as the name of the organization. Each spring, undergraduate and graduate students are elected to this society by the faculty based on their outstanding academic achievements. The Penn State Zeta Iota chapter was established in 1988. The president is Dr. Stephen Hopkins.

PMTA, Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association, is the student chapter of the Music Teachers National Association. The organization sponsors field trips, seminars, competitions, and student recitals, and supports activities pertinent to independent music teaching. Members receive the American Music Teacher and six state newsletters throughout the year. The faculty adviser is Timothy Shafer.

SNATS-The National Association of Teachers of Singing has fostered the formation of student chapters in order to advance knowledge about the Association and the professions of teaching and singing. A Student NATS (SNATS)chapter is an organization of undergraduate and graduate students that meets regularly to hold events and discussions relating to voice teaching as a profession. Any student interested in the voice, whether a voice emphasis student or not, may join. Since SNATS members are not members of NATS, there are no dues to pay to the national office, though our Penn State chapter does ask for local dues  in the amount of $10 every year in order to pay for costs associated with workshops and programs we sponsor. SNATS members enjoy many benefits, one of which is a reduced student rate on subscriptions to the Journal of Singing. The faculty adviser is Norman Spivey.

IAJE is the International Association of Jazz Educators, a worldwide organization dedicated to the enhancement and continuation of jazz education in more than 17 countries. The Penn State chapter was formed in1998 with the purpose of providing opportunities for Penn State students and members of the community to experience jazz music and culture. The PSU-IAJE sponsors clinics, concerts, monthly meetings, teaching opportunities, and community outreach to accomplish this goal. TBA is the faculty adviser.

ACDA, the Penn State chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, was formed in 1998. The central purpose of this music education organization is to promote excellence in choral music through performance, composition, publication, research, and teaching. The Penn State chapter of ACDA assists with various service projects during the year, including providing technical support for choral performances and hosting the annual “Celebration of African American Spirituals. “Members receive The Choral Journal and can also attend division and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association.