The Community Chorus of Port Townsend and East Jefferson County embarks on its new season with both a familiar face and a new one at the baton.

Jonathan Stafford joins as guest director, while Sarah Moran will serve as assistant guest director to share duties for two winter concerts, Nov. 30 and Dec. 2.

Also joining the chorus staff is pianist Theresa Chedoen, who will accompany the singers.

Chorus President Linda Atkins said she happily anticipates the new season.

“I am looking forward to working with our young and talented directors, and excited to learn the music they choose for us,” Chedoen said. “Singing together is a wonderful way to get into the community spirit and lend our voices to the beauty of the music.”

Stafford and Moran have selected a variety of holiday and seasonal choral literature, including Randall Thompson and John Rutter compositions, and pieces by Gustav Holst and Joseph Haydn.

Stafford is no stranger to the Community Chorus, having served as its associate conductor for the past two winter seasons. He said he cannot wait to see old friends and meet new singers this fall. Among other goals, Stafford is intent on honing the choir’s building blocks of vocal music and enhancing the musicianship of the group.

Stafford earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Michigan in 2005, after which he taught briefly at Carman-Ainsworth Junior High in Flint, Michigan. He was also a church choir director at Flushing United Methodist Church in his college years. He and his mother, Colleen Johnson, co-conduct the local group the Summertime Singers.

“I’m fortunate to be sharing the podium with the talented and knowledgeable Sarah Moran,” Stafford said. “I believe our conducting styles and choral ideas will play off each other. I envision a concert where the contrasting styles excite audience and singers alike, building that excitement and creating an environment where we are making art together.”

Moran, a professional voice teacher and choir director for the First Presbyterian Church in Port Townsend, said, she is “happy” about the opportunity to work with the Community Chorus.

Moran maintains voice studios in Seattle, Sequim and Port Townsend. She is a professional classical soprano, and has performed with the Tacoma Opera, Tacoma Symphony, Opera Quad Cities, Elgin Choral Union, Brevard Philharmonic, Galesburg Symphony, Opera Pacifica and Kitsap Opera, among others. She also performs as a member of Port Townsend’s Rainshadow Chorale. Moran served on the faculties of Knox College and Monmouth College in Illinois, where she taught private voice and vocal pedagogy, and directed an opera workshop.

Currently, a doctoral candidate in voice performance at the University of Washington, Moran lives in Chimacum with her husband Gregory Lewis, and her two children, Seamus and Cora.

Chedoen is a longtime pianist in Port Townsend, with numerous music and dramatic credits to her name, including providing piano and organ accompaniment at local churches, in the schools and for Key City Public Theatre.

Rehearsals for the holiday performances are set to begin Sept. 9. Registration starts at 5:30 p.m. Singing begins at 6:30 p.m. Rehearsals continue on Sundays thereafter from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

New and returning singers should note the first rehearsal, including registration, takes place at First Presbyterian Church, 1111 Franklin St. After Sept. 9, most rehearsals will be located at the rehearsal home for the chorus, the fellowship hall at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 1335 Blaine St., Port Townsend. Registration closes Sept. 16.

For more information about the chorus, visit ptchorus.org or call 360-385-1402.