Great Bend High School’s Madrigal-Pops Singers have a tradition of traveling to businesses and civic groups in December to perform holiday music. Vocal instructor Susan Stambaugh said the students were thrilled to be back “on the road” this year after giving up most in-person appearances in 2020.

“I want to pay tribute to these kids,” Stambaugh said Thursday when they sang at the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce Coffee, hosted by People’s Bank & Trust at 2220 Broadway Ave. “They are phenomenal.” 

In addition to the reward of performing in front of an audience, the Madrigals can expect to travel to Washington, D.C., if they stay in the choir for their full time at GBHS. But they couldn’t take the scheduled trip because of the pandemic. Even so, they worked hard to learn all of the music.

Now that the Madrigals are again making public appearances, another holiday tradition is back; that is, the Vespers Concert will again be held this Sunday at the Great Bend High School Auditorium. It starts at 2 p.m. and will be followed by the Youth Choir at 3:30 p.m.

For an encore, the GBHS Vocal Music Concert is set for 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13, also at the auditorium. The GBHS Orchestra Concert will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 16 at the auditorium.

Winter recess for Great Bend  USD 428 starts Dec. 20.