You know it’s February at the University of Miami when men in matching crimson shirts start interrupting your classes with classic love songs.
Beta Tau, UM’s chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Men’s Music Fraternity, celebrates Valentine’s Day with their annual “Singing Valentines” tradition.
“Singing Valentines” is the chapter’s biggest fundraiser event of the year. Fraternity brothers tabled in the first week of February, and students were able to secure a serenade for the following week for $10. As demand increased, they added a third day of tabling following early deliveries, charging $13 per performance on their final days.
The brothers of Beta Tau have been delivering “Singing Valentines” for more than forty years. Customers can choose from several fan-favorite love songs, including Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are,” the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way” and Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely,” among others.
“I’ve always thought of these singing valentines as thoughtful gifts,” said Phi Mu Alpha Vice President Adam Abdelkhaelek. “Obviously, they’re a little embarrassing because of the fact [that] you’re being sung to in the middle of class. But the act of receiving a singing valentine shows that someone — whether that be your friend, partner or even your parent — cares about you.”
Though the event’s main function is to raise money for the chapter, several brothers agree “Singing Valentines” have found a new purpose: to make their peers smile.
“Especially with so much polarization and conflict right now, we want to continue to spread the love throughout campus,” said Phi Mu Alpha Historian and Service Chair Milo Greenspon. “This tradition has helped bring a lot of joy throughout campus over the years, and it has solidified our identity on campus to the rest of the student body.”
Past on-campus presence, UM’s Phi Mu Alpha chapter has made their mark on social media. Their acapella rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” earned more than half a million views on Instagram.
Following their recent uptick in notoriety, Phi Mu Alpha recently announced that they would additionally be taking formal bookings for “Birthday Grams” — so if you missed out on sending your special someone a song for Valentine’s Day, don’t fret. Just wait until their birthday, and you’ll have a renewed opportunity to have fraternity brothers call them a P.Y.T.