Jacksonville High Madrigal Singers open Faith Lutheran Advent Allegro series
On Dec 3 the Jacksonville High School Madrigal Singers opened Faith Lutheran Church's Advent Allegro concert series, performing selections from their upcoming Madrigal dinner and drawing a lunchtime crowd. The free 12:15 p.m. concerts continue Dec 10 and Dec 17, with a $5 soup lunch after each event, offering accessible seasonal programming and student exposure for the community.
Faith Lutheran Church hosted the first concert in its Advent Allegro series on Dec 3 when the Jacksonville High School Madrigal Singers performed a program that included songs from their upcoming Madrigal dinner scheduled for Dec 13 and Dec 14. The performance marked the start of a three week series intended to provide short, free noon concerts for area residents during the holiday season.
The concerts begin about 12:15 p.m. and are free to attend. A soup lunch is offered after each performance for $5, providing a modest revenue stream for the church and a low cost meal option for attendees. The series will feature Matt Nall on Dec 10 and the Illinois College Percussion Ensemble on Dec 17, keeping the lineup focused on a mix of student ensembles and local musicians.
The Jacksonville High School Madrigal Singers are the only auditioned choir at Jacksonville High School, making the group a notable training ground for students pursuing vocal performance. Their appearance in the series gives students live performance experience and connects school arts programming with broader community audiences. Performing selections from the Madrigal dinner also helps promote the school event later in December.
For residents, the series offers accessible cultural programming at midday, a convenient time for seniors, workers on lunch breaks, and parents of school aged children. The low cost soup lunch that follows each concert helps keep the event affordable while generating small scale funds that can support church operations or youth music programs. These kinds of community concerts play a role in sustaining local arts during a period when many municipal and nonprofit arts budgets face pressure, by leveraging volunteer time and modest earned revenue.
The Advent Allegro series demonstrates the local value of school and college ensembles collaborating with community institutions. By combining student performances, predictable scheduling, and affordable refreshments the church is strengthening seasonal community ties and creating a visible platform for local musicians at the start of the holiday season.
