Instead of being situated on Greek row, the house they call a home is the Music Building. They are the Greek organizations that focus around music and they are here to give a new definition to Greek life.

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Sigma Alpha Iota and Kappa Kappa Psi are the three music organizations at NIU that both benefit the community and allow members to experience Greek life beyond the drinking and partying aspects.

“Our goal is to promote music,” said Tate Thoreson, vice president of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and senior music performance major. “We go out and sing at retirement homes and local hospitals and perform two recitals every semester on campus.”

The organization also holds fundraisers and 50/50 raffles to raise money for local charities. This spring, they hope to host a “car smash” where students pay to take a swing at a beat-up car during finals week.

The most recent event was the Tsunami Benefit Concert, which was held in conjunction with Sigma Alpha Iota raised more than $600 for the Music for Relief fund.

“We try to involve each other in things that we are doing, and we always appreciate the support of the other music fraternities,” said Erin Anderson, president of the Beta Mu chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota and a senior history major. “We try to support each other as much as possible.”

The Sigma’s have recently started focusing around their service projects as well. They helped local Girl Scout troops earn their music badges, held used music sales where proceeds from used instruments and sheet music benefitted People to People International , an organization focused on enhancing international education, and organized events in the concert hall at the Music Building.

“I’m really proud of my chapter,” said Anderson.

Even though the Phi’s were recognized by the Student Association a little over a month ago, they are already trying to break the mold of the stereotypical frat members.

“We are trying to make the ‘Animal House’ definition of a fraternity untrue,” said member Matt Kokes, a senior music education major. “We are a social fraternity at its root and definitely a building block for young men to become true men.”

The Phi’s have more than 100,000 active collegiate members nationwide and include celebrities like Mr. Rogers.

Kappa Kappa Psi is a national honorary band fraternity that focuses around music as well.

“The music unites us,” said Brianna Stahr, president of Kappa Kappa Psi and junior audiology major. “We are about fellowship and brotherhood as opposed to drinking.”

The Kappa’s also involve themselves in community projects. Past events have included bake sales and scratch cards in which all proceeds go to NIU’s band programs at the School of Music. This weekend, the Kappa’s and the Sigma’s will participate in the Relay for Life at the Campus Recreation Center.

Though not everything the three fraternities do is directly related to music, it is tied into the core of the organizations.

“There’s a music fraternity bond that we all have and although we may have disagreements, we are all supporting the same ideal and will try to help each other out when needed,” said Anderson.