BRINGING LIGHT INTO THE DARK. Chorale à NouvEAU will be holding the first concert of the new season on Jan. 21 at Christ Church Cathedral. (Submitted Photo)

The wave of area choral concerts during the Christmas season has passed, but January brings more opportunities to see local singers on stage. Chorale à NouvEAU will be presenting the first show of its season at 3pm Sunday, Jan. 21 at Christ Church Cathedral (510 S. Farwell St.) in downtown Eau Claire.

The title of the concert is “Into The Light.” According to Artistic Director and Founder Kate Larson, “We hope it will be a deeply moving experience for our listeners as we reflect on our human journey, from our earthly life and into the light beyond.” Texts set to music “speak to our journey to a farther shore: a joyful journey into the light.”

The topic may bring one to consider mortality. According to Larson, “On the very surface, you could say we are singing songs about death. But that would make it sound like a dark, depressing program, which it is definitely not.” Much of the show’s emotional content can be summarized by a line in the closing piece, “Dance In The Graveyards” by Delta Rae: “I don’t wanna rest in peace. I wanna dance in joy!”

While the show is free, a tradition with Chorale à NouvEAU concerts is a non-profit organization benefiting from free-will donations. For “Into The Light,” half of all of donations will go to the Needful Things Personal Care Pantry at Christ Church Cathedral.

More information on “Into The Light” and the ensemble can be found on the Chorale à NouvEAU Facebook page.