Pasadena Chorale Reveals Holiday Record Release and the Return of Holiday Tradition

 The Pasadena Chorale has announced two major events this holiday season! The Chorale’s annual performance of Shawn Kirchner’s The Light of Hope Returning will return for its fourth year on Wednesday, December 3. On that same day, the award-winning Pasadena Chorale will release a new recording of Kirchner’s work on Bandcamp, with additional platforms to follow in 2026.

The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church Pasadena, marking the continuation of a holiday tradition that has become a cornerstone of the Chorale’s concert season. Tickets to The Light of Hope Returning are FREE, consistent with the Pasadena Chorale’s commitment to offering no-cost admission to all performances throughout its 2025–2026 season.

A folk oratorio for the winter solstice, The Light of Hope Returning blends familiar carols, newly composed songs, and spoken text into a deeply moving narrative that celebrates hope, renewal, and the turning of the year. The Pasadena Chorale will be joined by a small band of instrumentalists and the High Notes, the Chorale’s treble choir of Pasadena-area middle school students.

Coinciding with the holiday concert, the Pasadena Chorale will release a recording of The Light of Hope Returning, the Chorale’s first recording in more than a decade! Only the second recording of the piece, the Chorale’s release will feature the composer at the piano. The album will be released first on Bandcamp on December 3, with a wider release on streaming platforms in early 2026.

“Shawn’s incredible piece work embodies the spirit of the season and has become a cherished part of our community’s holiday celebration,” said Jeffrey Bernstein, founding artistic director of the Pasadena Chorale. “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.”