Anyone can go to the store for a box of chocolates. Most can pick out the perfect bouquet of flowers or make a dinner reservation. Some can even cook a nice meal or write a beautiful heartfelt poem.
But when it comes to Valentine’s Day, those things are about as been there, done that as the electric slide at a wedding. So why not spice things up this year with a little singing. No, not by you – remember this is supposed to be a way to show your love, not end it. Instead, you should call Deb Yeager. Because for just $75, the Concord Chorale will sing a special song for that special someone and lift you to rock star status in the romantic category at the same time.
This will be the sixth year that Yeager and her chorale cohorts will be zig-zagging their way around Concord and surrounding communities filling people’s ear canals with sweet melodies of love. It all came about when Yeager was sharing her experience of being a young 20-something in Boston living the life of a singing telegrammer. The idea for singing Valentines was born – at least for the Concord Chorale, that is.
So for $75 you get your choice of 10 songs – including the likes of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” “When I Fall in Love” and “Sh-Boom” – a long stem red rose and two tickets for the Concord Chorale’s spring concert.
“We try to have a variety of different genres,” Yeager said. “But because we have to practice, it can’t be just any song.”
Now, if you really wanted to, you could purchase the singing Valentine for yourself and get all those things listed above, but the intention is to set it up for someone you’re quite fond of. And you can add a second or third song for $25 each. And where does all that money go? Well, the singing Valentines is a fundraiser for the chorale and is used to support their operations.
And for Yeager, it’s the reactions from the singing recipients that makes it fun year after year.
“That’s the best part,” Yeager said. “We once did an older couple and they sat on the couch and held hands. It was a song they had at their wedding. It’s truthfully more fun for the singers than anyone else.”
If it’s a surprise, Yeager and her harmonious mates try to ensure that nobody has any idea of what’s about to happen when they arrive. And they’ll go just about anywhere in the area to spread some Valentine’s Day cheer.
“At work, at a restaurant, even at home,” Yeager said.
About eight to 12 singers will serenade those chosen for this special gift, but bigger groups have been known to make an appearance.
The singing Valentines will be delivered Friday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 14 – that’s Valentine’s Day if you didn’t know – between the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Yeager would like you to call and schedule your sing a few days prior, but there might be a chance to sneak one in.
“We can take them last minute, but the times would be limited,” Yeager said. “If someone wakes up and says ‘I didn’t get a Valentine’ we could probably do something.”
And when you call, expect a few questions about who will be sung to help pick the perfect song. For song choices or to schedule your singing Valentine, call Yeager at 731-2244. And here’s a little advice from Yeager.
“If you have to leave a message, leave a number where your sweetie won’t see it,” she said.
