Meli Melomane isn’t your average a capella group. Blending sounds from the Renaissance era all the way up through Nigerian spiritual music and the Beatles, this Haitian-heavy quintet will be spreading its sounds throughout Ames this weekend.

The name for Meli Melomane, which includes four Haitians (three of which are brothers) and one American, was derived from a combination of French and Creole.

Friday, the group will be entertaining the crowd at the Midwest Children’s Choir Festival with Iowa native Simon Estes at Stephens Auditorium.

Saturday night Meli Melomane will be performing at 7:30 p.m. at the Anglican Student Center at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 2383 Lincoln Way.

Sunday morning the group will sing a couple of songs during the church service at St. John’s.

“This group has a special attraction to college students. Their concert last year was especially well received,” said Father Matt Cobb, St. Johns Episcopal chaplain and university coordinator.

Music scholarships, in conjunction with a Haitian-relief fund set up by Kansas University, have enabled the group to actively pursue their dreams.

“They have known poverty, and are now in pursuit of their degrees,” said Suzanne Zaffarano, coordinator for the weekend’s events.

The group formed three years ago with eight members. They began touring around the Midwest when their academic schedules would permit it, namely during the school’s breaks.

When Meli Melomane’s acclaim mounted, the group decided to act on it, and the eight members released a CD. The self-titled album included such themes as the church, the heart, the soul and songs from the homeland. The revenue from the record sales has been invested in the effort to one day build a school in Haiti.

“These young men are really remarkably gifted. They are very cohesive as a unit and fun to watch,” Zaffarano said.

The only musical instruments involved in a Meli Melomane performance — besides their nearly flawless vocal chords — are the maracas and the drums, which demonstrate further evidence of their musical skill.

In a time where popularity in a musical group and a mostly a capella sound don’t run hand-in-hand, Meli Melomane is able to gain the notoriety that accompanies a great sound. The group motto sums it up best: “We dare to dream and take risks.”