Fast forward to Valentine’s Day: from out of the blue, four men appear at a home or workplace and start singing. The “audience” is a single person, selected by a loved one, to receive this musical recognition of his or her love.

The scene will be repeated all over eastern Maine on Wednesday as local members of the Barbershop Harmony Society deliver Singing Valentines.

They’ll be saying “I love you” in song, and they’ll be leaving dozens of sweethearts speechless.

A Singing Valentine consists of two songs and a rose, both expressing the sender’s love. The cost is $35, which goes to support the Barbershoppers’ efforts in music education, plus worthy causes locally and nationally.

Members of the Bangor chapter of the Barbershoppers, as the singers are commonly known, have delivered Singing Valentines in the past. This year’s effort will see quartets in the Bangor, Bucksport and Ellsworth areas.

Last year, while delivering a Singing Valentine on Mount Desert Island, a quartet visited a boatyard at lunchtime. Both sender and receiver were on hand; while she – the sender – at first noticed his mild discomfort at the serenade in front of his workers, everyone sensed the love and joy between the couple as the chords rang.

“We have literally brought tears to people’s eyes,” says Thorn Merriam, who sang to the workers at the boatyard. “People who receive Singing Valentines are always surprised and usually very touched by the sentiment,” Merriam added.

Organizers of the Singing Valentines effort suggest lining up your singing greetings soon. To obtain more information or to place an order, call Russ Van Arsdale, 989-4945, or Rick Stover, 469-3695.

Across the country, Singing Valentines providers include members of the Barbershop Harmony Society, Sweet Adelines International and Harmony Inc. Valentine providers can be located on the World Wide Web at www.singingvalentines.com.

The society also offers a toll-free number for those without Internet access: (800) 876-SING; ask for Singing Valentines.

With more than 30,000 members in 800 chapters in the U.S. and Canada, the Barbershop Harmony Society is the world’s largest all-male singing organization. Through education services, music publishing, public performance and competition, the society preserves a rich heritage of uniquely American music for future generations.

The local chapter meets at 7 p.m. Mondays at Bangor’s Parks and Recreation Department, 647 Main St. Men who like to sing are always welcome.