Frequently Asked Questions

Tri-M Music Honor Society is an international music honor society. It motivates and recognizes musical achievement and dedication for students in secondary schools. 

What does Tri-M stand for?

Tri-M stands for Modern Music Masters, the club's original name before it became a part of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC).

How many Tri-M chapters are there?

There are more than 30,000 senior and junior division chapters of Tri-M worldwide.

Where is the international headquarters?

Since Tri-M is a part of MENC, it shares the same headquarters in Reston, Virginia.

What does the actual application entail?

It asks for your GPA, general information about your musical background (i.e., the number of instruments played, voice range), as well as general contact information. The two most integral components of the application are the five essays and two teacher recommendations. The essays address such character qualities as your leadership and community service potential, in addition to your musical involvement. The teacher recommendations emphasize the applicant’s leadership and cooperation abilities, as well as the type of student you are.

What are service credits?

Service credits are the measurement by which music-related community service is counted. Service is not earned by the hour, but rather by the amount of work/worth of the volunteer activity.

Why do I need service credits?

Service credits are required to maintain your membership in good standing once you have been accepted.

How many service credits do I need?

Although we encourage members to volunteer as much as possible, a minimum 10 service credits per year of membership are necessary to retain your membership.

Do Service Credits earn me anything else?

Yes! Graduation tassels are awarded to those members who earn at least 15 service credits their senior year. Cords are given to members who have served as officers for Tri-M or other members who the sponsor and officers deem to have been especially worthy to Tri-M and the music community. Tassels and cords are pink, which is the international color of music.

Where can I get more information?

The best way to learn more about Tri-M is by asking others who are already members of Tri-M! You can also get information from the Tri-M officers. Our sponsor, Mr. Drew Ross, and/or of the music department faculty would be glad to answer questions as well.

Date updated: 10/04/07