By Vinny Reda

For Beth Rauh and the other members of the University Chamber Singers, performing is what makes a group better. And the bigger the challenge, the better the expectations of all for excellence.

That is why the group is pointing at a tour of northern Italy immediately following the school year, even if they have to get there a penny at a time.

“People will see our ‘Pennies for Pisa’ booths at various spots on campus,” said Rauh, a senior and this year’s president of the Singers. “We hope to collect 100,000 of them. We’ll also be selling candy bars at a dollar apiece. We’ll do that on campus, but probably kids will bring them home and have their parents sell them to their friends too.”

There are more sophisticated means of fund-raising for the troupe, primary among them being the Madrigal Dinners in December, an annual event for 15 years that features a gourmet meal, a la Middle Ages, with appropriate garb and entertainment throughout. “We also do Christmas caroling all over the place — like malls and street fairs — and that raises some money too,” said Rauh. In the past, the Singers have even rented out their Renaissance costumes.

So far, about 15 members of the 22 in the group have committed to the Italy trip, the group’s first tour since January of 1994, although they did make an appearance at Florida’s Disney World two years ago.

“I think a few more will sign on before we’re through,” said Rauh. “It’s a special thing to go out and sing for a people from an entirely different culture. And it helps the singers, rather than just going to class and singing songs there until you hopefully perfect them. Here you know you have a critical audience you have to sing well for.”

The group’s tentative tour plans include Pisa, Florence and Venice with the possibility of Rome and other locales.

While nearly all of the current singers were not around for the last trip, that included British performance stops in London, Bath, Cardiff, Chester, Ruthin, Coventry and Cambridge, one ofthe assemblage remains a constant — the group’s leader, director David Janower of the Department of Music.

“The tour is one of the best cultural and musical experiences these students could ever have,” he said. “The whole concept of it brings people together, not only on a personal basis but as a cohesive musical entity as well. The excitement of it makes you rehearse harder. And when you are representing your country, you concentrate that much more on what you’re doing. A change, of venue like makes a big difference.”

But the change that could make the biggest difference for the Singers’ hopes right now is in people’s pockets, and the students are banking on some of being directed their way.