A new Valentine’s concert in Mount Pleasant could become a lasting tradition for the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra. “Valentango” will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 14, 2026 at the Chapel Auditorium, 601 North Main Street.
“Valentango,” will feature award-winning St. Louis guitarist W. Mark Akin, along with a regional children’s chorus, a regional youth string ensemble, and pop singer Kelsey Madsen of Cedar Rapids.
Madsen was a Hollywood Golden Ticket winner on American Idol in 2010 and has previously performed with the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra, as has Akin. Organizers say the program will carry a Spanish influence, featuring selections from Carmen, Bolero, and Danzon No. 2, among others.
Madsen, who now teaches at Vinton-Shellsburg Elementary and the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy in Cedar Rapids, will also perform the love ballad “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri.
In a video preview posted by the orchestra, Madsen says she’s excited and humbled to make music with the symphony and is inviting the public to bring loved ones and enjoy the performance.
More information about this and related events can be found online at seiso.us.