Singing Telegrams: a group of people come and sing to you or your friend in the middle of class and embarrass you or your friend to the max in front of your peers.  From my own experience, it was fun to see my classmates with red faces and shifting uncomfortably in their chair in the front of the class.  On the other hand, the singers look to be having a great time.  The real question is what it actually feels like from an actual “sufferer” of a singing telegram and the singer.

Luke Wade, a junior choir student who will be a singer for the Singing Telegrams this year, just wants to make a name for Minnetonka choirs.  Said Wade, “I just want to show the talent Minnetonka Choirs have to offer.”  The choirs at Minnetonka have no shortage of talent and their requirement is that at least one choir student needs to be in every Singing Telegram group.  This ensures that the groups will be able to produce a good sound.  When asked about the benefits that this offered, Wade responded, “I think it brings a sense of joy to people’s day and I personally like to be able to interact with someone as you sing and it’s fun to sing more modern songs that normally wouldn’t be sung in a choir class.”

Rainer Erani, a sophomore and not involved in music, is an actual “sufferer” of a Singing Telegram.  When asked what he liked about them he responded, ”I am able to participate in the daily lesson and I get to listen to good live music in the middle of a class.  Also it’s cool to see some people that you know and see how talented they are.”  The typical student doesn’t necessarily know the talent their peers possess, so it gives them another perspective of their classmates.  Erani, asked if he liked singing telegrams or not, stated, “I like them because the class is laughing with you because you are in an awkward spot, sitting in the front of the room with all eyes on you.”

From singer to “sufferer” Singing Telegrams can be seen differently.  Yes, they can be awkward, but it is a great way to donate money to charity and see the talented singers at Minnetonka.