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Dream a Little Dream
The Dreamers of the Alpha Zeta Chapter
Serenade On-Campus.
For many people, the start of February means the start of shopping for the perfect Valentine's Day gift. While candy, roses and stuffed animals are the gifts of choice, students at Penn State University have found that they have a great gift option in their own music department. As a matter of fact, they have about ten song options from which to choose.
The Dreamers, an a capella group comprised of members of the Alpha Zeta Chapter, lend their voices for their annual Singing Valentines fundraiser. With a repertoire of ten songs to sing, including such favorites as "Unchained Melody" and "Brown Eyed Girl," the group will spend Valentine's Day and a couple of additional days serenading over 100 people.
Every year, The Dreamers rent themselves for Valentine's Day performances. Starting in February, a booth will be set up for students and staff to purchase the musical services of the group. For students and faculty, the cost is $10 and includes a song and a rose for the recipient (it costs $15 for anyone else). From 8:00 in the morning until beyond the midnight hour, The Dreamers will make an appearance every 20 minutes at a pre-determined location on campus. |
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Serenades performed by The Dreamers are not restricted to the hallway or student union. In fact, appearances in classrooms of over 500 students are a regular occurrence. Michael Natale, Alpha Zeta (Penn State) '03, music director for The Dreamers, remembered a performance in a lecture hall of over 750 students. "We were singing 'Unchained Melody' to a girl and the teacher handed the wireless microphone to (us)," he recalled.
It is also common for The Dreamers to cover a couple of marriage proposals over the course of the week. Chris Halbig, Alpha Zeta '04, chapter president and Singing Valentines chairman, is reminded of one particular event. "A gentleman was taking his girlfriend out to dinner and he was going to propose to her. He requested a specific song that we had never performed or arranged," he remembered. "We arranged and performed it for him and he proposed. It was a great night."
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But guys aren't the only ones buying serenades. Sometimes women will buy serenades for guys to embarrass them, especially in a packed classroom. Unlike men, who are trying to be more romantic and impress their significant other, women may try to find ways to embarrass their boyfriends. Natale states, "I think that girls are more malicious."
The funds raised through The Dreamers support the regular chapter operations, but they also try to support a number of worthy causes. In past years, they have been able to make donations to the Katrina Fund and VH1 Save the Music. In addition, the chapter helped the opera program at the school by making a contribution allowing them to make the needed costumes for that year's production of Chicken Little. Funds are also used to support scholarships presented by the chapter.
The Dreamers were formed in 1989 by Kevin McMahon, Alpha Zeta '88. With a handful of chapter members, they arranged '50s style music to perform for fun. Little did they know that The Dreamers would still be an integral part of the chapter over 15 years later.
The Dreamers have become a performance opportunity for many members. With about twelve members in the group this year, most are not studying voice nor have a vocal emphasis. Even music majors are in the minority. The group believes that you don't have to study music to enjoy it. It's that belief that helps motivate its members to entertain others. |
Halbig concluded, "We just run all over campus wearing suits all day. It's a lot of fun. It can be stressful, but, in the end, it's really worth it." |
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