Valentine’s Day is a day full of love and joy and for Skyline’s Vocal Jazz students, it also means spending the day running from class to class performing songs for students. The vocalists dress up in fun Valentine’s outfits and dance around while singing and spreading love and joy.
The concept of Sing-a-Grams stems from serenades, which have a long history in many cultures. At their earliest, serenades were used to display courtly love but here at Skyline, they have been adapted into a fun fundraiser.
Sing-a-Grams are purchased at lunch and all the proceeds go to the Skyline Vocal Jazz Ensemble to aid in their registration and transportation costs for festivals throughout the school year.
Students purchasing Sing-a-Grams choose the song, who they want it sung to, and during what period they prefer it to be sung. This year’s songs include “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole, “Love is An Open Door” from Disney’s “Frozen,” a medley of popular One Direction songs, “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars, and “You Belong with Me” by Taylor Swift.
A Sing-a-Gram is not just a vocal performance, Senior Kylah Palmer, co-president of Skyline Choir says, “Sing-a-Grams are a Skyline tradition whether or not you’re in choir—I remember the joy in the room when I experienced my first Sing-a-gram in freshman year, and I’m honored to now be able to actively share that joy for the second year in a row as a Vocal Jazz member. Getting into the Valentine’s Day spirit with costumes and props is always a bonus, too!”
The Sing-a-Gram is not only fun for the person being sung to but for the whole classroom and the performers. Caris Hooppaw, a junior, who is singing Sing-a-Grams for the first time this year, remarks, “I’m not usually a choir singer–I am the bassist–but this year I thought it would be fun to join the festivities. We get to run around all day on Valentine’s and it’s really a fun experience to see the embarrassed but excited faces.”
The tradition of Sing-a-Grams is a staple of Skyline’s Valentine’s Day celebration. Hearing the familiar beat and rhythm of a new Sing-a-Gram performance throughout the hallways spreads joy and the Valentine’s Day spirit to Skyline students. The playful songs, costumes, and dances are both entertaining and rewarding in their benefit to Skyline Vocal Jazz and their importance to the Skyline community as a whole.