Contentment. Companionship. A good book by a crackling fire. Longing. Love. Prayer.

These are a few of the many moods evoked in songs of the Orcas Choral Society’s winter concert, “Nightfall, celebration of our longest nights,” Dec. 5 at the Orcas Center and Dec. 6 at the Lopez Center. The Orcas Boy Choir will join the Choral Society on several pieces.

“We’re so inundated with carols and commercialism, we thought it’d be good to immerse ourselves in the human response to the spiritual nature of the changing light,” said Choral Society director Roger Sherman. “Much wonderful music and poetry reflect on the night.”

The concert will include works by Mendelssohn, Brahms and Elgar, along with contemporary, folk and early music. “We’re touching on many traditions, secular and religious,” Sherman said. The audience will be invited to sing along on several seasonal favorites.

The Orcas concert begins 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Orcas Center, 917 Mt. Baker Rd., Eastsound. Tickets are $15, $5 for students. For those who prefer not to go out at night, the Choral Society will hold an open rehearsal at 10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 5, also at the Orcas Center, with tickets at $10, students $5. Tickets are available through the Choral Society’s web site at www.orcaschoralsociety.org, from the Orcas Center at www.orcascenter.org, or at 360-376-2281, ext. 1.

The Lopez Island concert Sunday, Dec. 6, will begin at 4 p.m., at the Lopez Center, 204 Village Rd. No tickets are needed; donations will be accepted at the door.