Washburn’s Theta Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota will be hosting “Harmonium: Voices of American Women,” a philanthropy event Oct. 9.

Sigma Alpha Iota is an international music fraternity for women. The international fraternity was founded in 1903, with Washburn’s chapter becoming chartered Nov. 14, 1914.

According to their web site, Sigma Alpha Iota promotes interaction among those with a commitment to music and the Theta Chapter is open to all female music majors and minors currently in attendance at Washburn University.

Annastasia Glover, senior English major and music minor, expressed her love for the fraternity.

“[I enjoy] the sisterhood aspect of it,” Glover said. “I like that it feels more lasting, because if you go to the alumni meetings you will see all these elderly women and they are still super involved in each other’s lives and it’s cool to think that I’m still going to see my friends in 30 years or something. I like that about it.”

Another member of the fraternity, Alicia Schoenberger, junior music education major, compared the experience of being in Sigma Alpha Iota to having a second family on campus.

Schoenberger will be one of three student performers present at the philanthropy event. She will be playing the flute and will be joined by fellow Sigma Alpha Iota members Qiyoa Li on piano and Brianne Stewart, a mezzo-soprano. The three students will be opening the stage for the main attraction, the band Notable Exceptions.

This band is an Americana-Western acoustic duo composed of Judy Coder and Jennifer Epps.

Coder plays the rhythmic guitar, while Epps plays a combination of harmonica, rhythm instruments, flutes and whistles.

The duo originally met at an annual Western Music Association gathering in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Their debut CD, titled “New Day,” which was released in October 2015, even earned them the title of “2015 Harmony Duo of the Year” by the Western Music Association.

Glover holds high expectations for the event.

“I want [students] to know that their money is going to a good cause,” Glover said. “It’s going to support music majors and people that go into the field that will teach and inspire people. It’s going to be an incredible performance. We will have the student performers to represent us. The Notable Expressions people are professional performers, and they travel around the world, so this is an incredible experience.”

Seventy-five percent of the proceeds made from the event will go to the national headquarters’ philanthropy and the remaining 25 percent of the proceeds made will go to Washburn’s chapter, which will be used to provide scholarships for music majors and minors in the fraternity.

Stewart, a senior vocal performance major, shared her excitement for the event,

“Philanthropies [are] a huge part of what [Sigma Alpha Iota] is. We strive to support music and musicians in any way. This concert is a way to raise money to go towards our philanthropy’s fund, as well as a way for current and past members of [Sigma Alpha Iota] to share the joy of music.”

The event will be held at 3 p.m. in the Georgia Neese Gray Theatre at Garvey Fine Arts Center. A $15 donation is recommended, with a reception to follow.