The Pasadena Chorale will present its annual performance of Shawn Kirchner’s “The Light of Hope Returning” on Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Pasadena.

Kirchner’s folk oratorio for the winter solstice interweaves traditional carols, new songs, and spoken text in a narrative centered on renewal and the turning of the year. Instrumentalists and the High Notes will join the Chorale, its treble choir made up of Pasadena-area middle school students.

In addition to its holiday performance, the company announced that it will release a new recording of “The Light of Hope Returning,” its first album in over a decade and the second commercial recording of the work.

For the recording, Kirchner, a Los Angeles–based composer, arranger, songwriter, and performer who is also a long-time member of Los Angeles Master Chorale, performs at the piano for the release, which debuts on Bandcamp on Dec. 3, with a wider rollout to follow in 2026.

“Shawn’s incredible work embodies the spirit of the season and has become a cherished part of our community’s holiday celebration,” said Jeffrey Bernstein, the Chorale’s founding artistic director, per an official press release. “We are thrilled to share a new recording that will allow audiences everywhere to experience its warmth and beauty and the brilliant virtuosity of its composer.”

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