The Miami Choral Collective and Miami University Chamber Singers join forces for a festive winter concert featuring Shawn Kirchner’s The Light of Hope Returning, a folk oratorio for the winter solstice. Blending beloved traditional carols with newly composed songs of Christmas, winter, and the New Year, Kirchner’s work journeys from darkness and distant hope toward the return of light and renewal. Drawing inspiration from folk, bluegrass, Appalachian, gospel, and classical traditions, the work features chorus, soloists, and a colorful instrumental ensemble.

The Miami Choral Collective reunites with the Chamber Singers. Together, the ensembles invite audiences to welcome the season through an uplifting evening of familiar carols, new musical discoveries, and a message of hope for the year ahead.