With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, you may be beginning to panic ...trying to come up with a way – any way – to impress that special someone.
Romance, after all, is never easy and romantic gestures have sometimes gone horribly wrong. There was, for example, the fellow who thought that mailing himself to his true love was a good idea. Delivery was delayed due to the overweight nature of the package, and he’d forgotten to put air holes in the box. Thankfully he was revived upon delivery, but the romance was gone.
Then there was the couple who thought role-playing a public abduction would spice up the romance. Unfortunately for the hapless couple, the whole thing was spotted and reported, and the couple was arrested for disorderly conduct (another term for doing stupid things in public).
Fortunately, folks in Victoria have a much better option to express their love on Valentine’s Day. They can say “I love you” in a song – a song delivered in perfect four-part harmony.
The non-profit group, South Island Harmony, is once again offering to deliver your romantic message in song by sending out one of their barbershop quartets to your loved one’s home, office, or just about anywhere they can find the object of your devotion.
“We’ve been delivering singing Valentines since 1968 and I can tell you that, most often, it’s a great surprise and much appreciated,” said Derek Parussini, a singer himself and the PR director for the organization.
“We charge $60 for two songs, and we also throw in a flower and a card to round out the experience. We’ll go to a person’s office, catch them in restaurants, or anywhere we’re told to find them and the reaction is always very special.”
Parussini said that the loved ones receiving the serenades are always surprised and sometimes a little embarrassed, but always happy to have been serenaded.
Serenading a loved one is a tradition transcending both time and geography; the expression of love through song has been a persistent part of our world. And although the South Island Harmony singers don’t accompany their songs with lutes or guitars, and clients don’t tend to be up on Juliet balconies, their rendition of songs like “Heart of My Heart” always leaves their subjects smiling.
“A lot of times they’ll ask for additional songs and we ‘re happy to oblige,” said Parussini. There is an additional surcharge of $10 a song for extra numbers but, hey, it’s Valentine’s Day, and wooing partners are happy to keep the magic going.
South Island Harmony operates as a part of a much larger organization of Barbershop Quartets that stretches right across North America, and the local chapter donates some of the money it makes romancing lovers in song to local schools and musical causes.
After Valentine’s Day, they are still available for birthdays, weddings, or just for the sheer entertainment of the experience.
“We sing all over the place and we also have two concerts a year. This year, our spring show will take place at the Colwood Pentecostal Church in May,” said Parussini. “You can go to our website at southislandharmony.com for details on the concert, the organization or to book your own singing valentine.”
Bookings for a singing valentine can also be made by calling Pierre at 250-592-5997 or by emailing the group at singing valentines@southislandharmony.com.
