Waukegan, Illinois (December 6, 2023) – The Waukegan Symphony Orchestra and Concert Chorus present the Joseph A. Favero Memorial Do It Yourself Messiah & Carol Sing-Along on Saturday, December 9, 2023 from 7pm to 9pm at a new location: the Orlin Trapp Auditorium, located at 2325 Brookside Avenue on Waukegan High School’s Brookside Campus. The concert will feature the Master Singers of Milwaukee, a mixed-voice choir of singers from the Milwaukee-area, and soloists, including Jennifer Bentley, Alex Heiting, Lee Henning, Beth Lambrecht, Lisa Maxfield, and Trevor McDonald.
The Joseph A. Favero Memorial Do It Yourself Messiah & Carol Sing-Along will feature Mozart’s version of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah, one of the most beloved holiday traditions worldwide. The Messiah was composed in 1741 and was intended to be an Easter oratorio for orchestra, chorus, and soloists. The music, however, has become more associated with the holiday season.
The annual concert honors and memorializes the late Commissioner Joseph A. Favero, who served on the Waukegan Park District Board of Commissioners for nearly 30 years. Mr. Favero was an arts advocate who served as a beloved music teacher, sang with the Waukegan Concert Chorus, and played the trombone with the Waukegan Municipal Band.
A ticket is required to attend the concert. The following ticket options are available:
- Students and Children (18 years and younger): Free
- Students (19 years and older): $10
- Seniors (62 years and older)/Active Military Personnel/Veterans: $15
- Adults: $20
The annual concert is supported by an endowment created by the Favero family, in honor of Joseph A. Favero. Additional support is received from grants provided by the Illinois Arts Council Agency and the Waukegan Arts Council, and sponsorships from Kaiser, Shepherd & Nakon, P.C., Harry E. Came, and Scott and Roxanne Swanson.
With support from the Waukegan Park District, the Waukegan Symphony Orchestra, led by Alexander Platt, and the Waukegan Concert Chorus, led by Randy Casey, have been a longstanding tradition in the community, offering a unique musical experience for all ages.
Season tickets are available at the Jack Benny Center for the Arts. More information, including tickets and sponsorship opportunities, is available at waukeganparks.org/wsocc.
About the Waukegan Park District
Established on December 26, 1916, the Waukegan Park District (WPD) has 53 properties and more than 742 acres of land, including the 18-hole Bonnie Brook and 9-hole Greenshire Golf Courses. Properties are managed to the highest environmental and conservation standards. Facilities operated by the WPD include the Field House Sports, Fitness and Aquatics Center, Waukegan’s Greg Petry SportsPark, Waukegan Skate Park, BMX Track, SplashZone, Percussion Playground, recreational centers, disc golf course, dog exercise area and agility course, outdoor sports fields, picnic areas, playgrounds, splash pads, and sports courts including basketball, tennis and pickleball. A full range of programs and services are offered year-round for all ages, from infants to seniors, as well as special need populations. Healthy lifestyles, wellness initiatives, and a connection with the outdoors and nature are integrated throughout programs, services, and special events. Arts and cultural activities are provided by the Jack Benny Center for the Arts, Waukegan Symphony Orchestra and Concert Chorus, and the Waukegan History Museum. We offer something for everyone!
A member of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD), Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA), and the Park District Risk Management Agency (PDRMA), the WPD employs 73 full-time and 219 part-time, seasonal, and temporary employees and is recognized by the IPRA as an Exceptional Workplace.
Nationally accredited by the NRPA Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and State accredited through the IAPD Distinguished Agency Accreditation, the WPD has received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Triple Crown Award for receiving the GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award, and the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. The WPD was awarded the NRPA National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management in 2013, and was named a Gold Medal Finalist in 2012, 2013, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Media Contact
Josue Pasillas, MPA
Communications Supervisor
Waukegan Park District
(847) 360-4789
jpasillas@waukeganparks.org
waukeganparks.org