Music fraternity gives unique Valentine gifts

Stacie Allison was minding her own business in her women's studies class Friday morning when a group of men dressed in suits entered the room. After briefly speaking with the professor, one of the well-clad gentlemen asked if Stacie was present.

To her knowledge, she was not wanted by the FBI, nor had she disturbed any Mafia bosses.

"I had no idea what they wanted to see me for," said Allison (sophomore-sociology).

Once these men found Allison, they came as close to her as possible and began to sing "Brown-Eyed Girl." During the song they handed her a red rose. When they finished, they departed just as quickly as they had entered.

"Everybody thought it was so great," Allison said. "They were all laughing and clapping."

Allison realized that this singing valentine, which was delivered by the Dreamers of the Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity, was set up by her boyfriend, Nathan Marchiano (junior-economics).

"I was hoping for the embarrassment factor," Marchiano said. "But this is something that not everybody gets. Some people get cards, flowers and candy, but this is something special. It's something that people might not get in their lifetime."

This is the seventh year the Dreamers have offered the singing valentines.

The Dreamers sold the valentines beginning at 6 p.m. last Wednesday, charging $10 for a song and red rose. The valentines are sold in 15-minute time slots.

"It's very hectic, especially if we get behind schedule," said Tom West (senior-music education), a Dreamer who directed the group for two years.

The Dreamers sing to loved ones in many different environments, sometimes in classrooms, sometimes in dorms and sometimes in restaurants.

"Most of the time we go from gig to gig in cars," West said. "If there is a series of classroom gigs relatively close, then we park in a central location and walk."

Lovers who hire the Dreamers to surprise their significant others have 25 songs they can choose from.

"We have a selection of songs that fit many scenarios on Valentine's Day," West said. "We have your typical 'I love you' songs, 'I'd like to get to know you better' songs, and your 'Let's just be friends' songs. This year we even have a new Weird Al Yankovic song that is a 'Just broke up with you' song."

The group usually sells between 150 and 250 singing valentines, West said.

The top selling songs in years past have been "Unchained Melody," "In the Still of the Night," "Earth Angel" and "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling," West said.

At any given time, four to 14 people will be singing. The Dreamers have enough members to juggle their personnel so they don't miss classes.

The recipients' reactions to the singing valentines are varied.

"We've had reactions on both ends of the spectrum, from people bursting into tears of joy, to people trying to escape," West said.

One might have better luck escaping tuition payments than escaping the Dreamers.

"We once sang to a student who was working in the dining commons," West said. "She tried to escape into the kitchen and we had to follow her back there."

Males who employ the Dreamers often hope to win over the hearts of their recipients. But they should beware -- sometimes the Dreamers will win over those hearts for themselves.

"There has been interest in some of the individual group members generated by the singing valentines," West said.

But for Marchiano, the singing valentine worked. He was able to win over his girlfriend's heart.

"It was really nice. It made me feel very special," Allison said.