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The Winchester Chorale’s annual Christmas concert returns this weekend with a pair of performances at First Baptist Church.

The performances will be on Friday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, Dec. 3, at 2:30 p.m. Admission is free but donations will be accepted.

So what can folks expect from this year’s concert?

Bill James is a member of the chorale’s board of directors and recently provided some information about the concert.

“The director is Jim Cowan. There will be 11 songs sung by the chorale and then there will be an instrumentalist solo,” James said. “The songs are both secular and religious Christmas music. That is what we typically provide.”

The songs will be familiar to the audience but, according to James, will also present a new twist regarding their rhythm.

James’ wife, Phyllis, will accompany the chorale  – with music – during the concert as she has for many years.

The James have been involved with the chorale for years and Bill described it as a joyful association.

“It is a good time to get together with people that have common interests to do the rehearsals and provide the concerts for the community,” he said.

In fact, the chorale has been performing in Clark County for decades.

“This is the 30th year that the chorale has been giving concerts to the community,” James said. “In that time, we have put on some 36 concerts. Twenty-seven of those have been Christmas concerts. We had eight spring concerts and one fall concert.”

Of the 48 singers, many- like the James – have sun together multiple times over the past few decades.

“Many of our chorale members this year have been with the chorale for many years, just as we have,” James said.

And the concerts and the chorale have always been a genuine community effort.

“For the most part, the chorale is made up of singers from various church choirs around Winchester,” James said. He added that singers from several surrounding counties have been part of the chorale in years past.

Two instrumentalists will join the chorale for their performances this year.

“Chris Carpenter is a violinist and Justin Garza is a guitarist and bass guitarist and will be performing on both instruments,” James said.

The audience will be invited to sing along with the chorale at several points of the performance as well.

The concert venue – First Baptist Church – is located at 32 East Lexington Ave. in Winchester.