The University of Notre Dame Folk Choir, an ensemble of 55 singers and instrumentalists, will perform a concert of sacred music on Friday, Jan. 12, at St. Brigid Church. The concert will benefit Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) schools in Biloxi and Gulf Port, Miss., affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The concert will be held at 8 p.m. in the church, located at 3400 Old Alabama Road. Tickets at $10 apiece are available in the parish office or at the door. A light reception will follow the concert.

Established more than 25 years ago, the Notre Dame Folk Choir serves as one of the university’s principal liturgical choirs, singing every Sunday and participating in other campus liturgies, and also tours nationally and internationally. Their arrangements of sacred music include men’s and women’s voices in four-part harmony, flute and strings, Celtic harp and bodhrán (Irish drum), guitar and organ. The members include Notre Dame undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and university staff.

Choral music from around the world, including Ireland, France, Mexico and the African continent, is featured in their repertoire.

Proceeds from the concert, which is part of a Southeast tour, will help hurricane-damaged Mississippi Catholic schools that are part of Notre Dame’s ACE program. ACE is an innovative master’s of education program at Notre Dame that includes two summers studying at Notre Dame University and two school years teaching in under-resourced Catholic schools across the southern United States. While teaching, participants also live in small communities of four to seven members and share the challenges and rewards of beginning teaching.

The public is invited to the concert. For more information, contact St. Brigid Church at (678) 393-0060 or Michelle O’Sullivan at mo’sullivan@saintbrigid.org.