Subalgebras of $\gc_N$ and Jacobi polynomials

We classify the subalgebras of the general Lie conformal algebra $\gc_N$ that act irreducibly on $\C[\partial]^N$ and that are normalized by the $\operatorname{sl}_2$--part of a Virasoro element. The problem turns out to be closely related to classical Jacobi polynomials $P_n^{(-\sigma,\sigma)}$, $\sigma\in\C$. The connection goes both ways -- we use in our classification some classical properties of Jacobi polynomials, and we derive from the theory of conformal algebras some apparently new properties of Jacobi polynomials.