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The Mills Music Mission has its origin in the work of the Sinfonia’s founder, Ossian Everett Mills. Mills and other early members of the Fraternity understood the true purpose of their art as the enrichment of the human spirit. They also recognized that music in America can be advanced only when men in the field of music have a true appreciation for the power of their art. Music lacks its power when the musician regards it not as a tool for the uplift of others, but instead as a means to his personal success and happiness. To help Sinfonians in the attainment of this goal, the Fraternity teaches sacrifice. For a man to focus on uplifting others, he must first understand that it is others who are important. Otherwise, he will view his art solely as a means of enriching himself. Burrell described how man’s perfection of his art is not an end in itself but rather a means to a greater end-elevating the spirits of others:The principle that the development of manly qualities need not be stunted in the enthusiasm for one's art has found a fine exemplification in the progress of the Sinfonia. It is a truism that as long as man loves but himself and his art he can never attain to the full measure of manhood or reach the sublimest heights of his art. He must seek to love men as brothers and art, not for the sake of art itself, but art as a means toward bringing all men up to that verdant plateau where their souls may be fed in very rejoicing in all that is true, beautiful, abiding.Thus, the Sinfonia teaches a man to sacrifice so that he may perfect his art, not as an end in itself, but rather as a means to elevating others. It is important, however, not simply to talk of uplifting others with music. Sinfonians must put these words into action in order to realize the true mission of our Brotherhood: the uplift of mankind. Ossian E. Mills wrote of this need to put our thoughts and words into practice: This it is to be a man of the highest type. To be and not seem; to do and not simply to talk; to have the right ideal, the true motive and patiently to transform conduct in accordance with it. as taken from sinfonia.org |