A familiar favorite — joined by some new faces — will headline Trinity United Methodist’s Candlelight Concerts in December. 

The Wild Rose Chorale, Port Townsend’s premier a cappella group, will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Port Townsend.

The Wild Rose Chorale has been entertaining local audiences and beyond since 1992 with a repertoire of pop, jazz, folk, show tunes, classical, and more.

“We have lots of upbeat music on this program,” said bass Doug Rodgers.

Pieces include both sacred, secular, and seasonal songs, including “Deck the Halls,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” the perennial favorite, “Jingle Bells,” and the jaunty, “I Saw Three Ships,” on which the singers will be joined by Dana Africa on flute.

Concert organizers note that audiences can also expect the unexpected, with surprising arrangements of familiar tunes, including a Pentatonix arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”  

“I love the variety of sacred and secular, up-tempo and lush ballads,” said chorale director Leslie Lewis. “We even have a beautiful rendition of the 15th century text, ‘Come Down O Love Divine,’ composed and arranged by our very own Rolf Vegdahl.”

Wild Rose currently numbers 11 singers, including some new faces. 

“It’s been fun working with new members this fall,” Lewis said. 

“They have given us an injection of new energy! Each person brings their own personality and strengths. Audiences will meet new singers Mark Schecter, bass; Pat Nerison, alto; Cherry Chenruk-Geelan, soprano; and the tenor who joined us last spring, Rolf Vegdahl.”

Rounding out the roster are sopranos Lewis and Sarah Gustner-Hewitt, altos Schumacher and Lynn Nowak, tenor Chuck Helman, and basses Thompson and Rodgers.

The concert will be one set with no intermission. Admission is free, with a suggested donation $10 per person. Half of the proceeds from this concert go toward the Wild Rose Chorale’s scholarship fund, which makes awards to promising high school and college students who pursue choral music in their post-secondary education.

The performance will also be streamed live at trinityumcpt.org, with a link for the Candlelight Concerts Online and ways to donate. Trinity United Methodist Church is located at 609 Taylor St., across from the Community Center, in Uptown. Attendees should plan on arriving early; doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Masks will be required for in-person attendees.

Following the Candlelight Concert, the singers perform again at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, also at Trinity. 

In keeping with pandemic protocols, audiences will be required to mask and show proof of vaccination at the Sunday concert. Admission is by donation at the door.