Delta Omicron International Music Fraternity

Delta Omicron International Music Fraternity (ΔΟ) is a co-ed international professional music honors fraternity dedicated to promoting and supporting excellence in music and musicianship. Founded on September 6, 1909, at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music by three undergraduate students—Hazel Wilson, Lorena Creamer, and Mabel Dunn—Delta Omicron stands out as the only organization of its kind initiated by students for students[1][2].

History

Delta Omicron was originally called "Delta Omicron Sorority" and underwent a name change to "Delta Omicron Fraternity" in 1947. This change reflected the preference for the term "fraternity" within Panhellenic circles at the time. Initially, the organization was all-female, but it began admitting men in 1979 after updating its bylaws in 1977[2].

Purpose and Activities

Delta Omicron's mission centers on fostering musical excellence and community. Membership is based on talent, scholarship, and character, and it is open to collegiate music students and music faculty at schools with Delta Omicron chapters, as well as professional musicians[2]. The fraternity has established chapters across the United States and abroad, though some international chapters are currently inactive[2].

Philanthropy and Education

The Delta Omicron Foundation, Inc., established in 1958, serves as a separate nonprofit corporation supporting the fraternity's philanthropic efforts. It administers scholarships, educational grants for music study, commissions composers, and subsidizes music-related programs and publications. The foundation also contributes to Delta Omicron's endowment fund[2][5].

Membership Types

Delta Omicron offers three types of membership: collegiate, patron, and national honorary members. Collegiate membership is available to students of music at participating institutions. Patron members are recognized for their contributions to music, and national honorary members are awarded for exceptional achievements in the field[3].

Notable Members

Among the notable patrons of Delta Omicron are renowned musicians such as Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, and Vincent Persichetti, while national honorary members include celebrated vocalists like Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Arlene Saunders[3].

Symbolism

The fraternity uses the lyre as its symbol and the lily of the valley as its official flower. Its colors are old rose and pearl gray. The motto is "Continenter nitentes consequimur," meaning "Continually striving, we attain"[2].

Challenges and Legacy

In recent years, the fraternity has faced challenges due to the association of its name with the COVID-19 Delta and Omicron variants, affecting recruitment and promotional efforts on some campuses[2]. Despite these challenges, Delta Omicron continues to uphold its mission of fostering excellence in music. With over 28,000 initiated members to date, it remains a significant presence in the musical community[2].

[1] https://www.delta-omicron.org/history-past-presidents [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Omicron [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Delta_Omicron_members [4] https://milwaukeehistory.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/1859.Delta-Omicron.pdf [5] https://www.delta-omicron.org/delta-omicron-foundation