Jeff and Denine Rood are bringing their new choral colleagues to La Crescent for a concert Saturday at their home church.

It’s not just any choir. It’s the La Crosse Chamber Chorale, an ensemble of volunteer musicians who are committed to bringing professional-quality choral music to the region.

The La Crosse Chamber Chorale will perform for the first time in La Crescent and will open its 24th season with a concert Saturday at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

The Roods are long-time members of Prince of Peace’s choir, and it was a fellow church choir member, Jessica Wise, who convinced them to audition for the chamber ensemble. Wise is starting her third season with the chorale.

“I hadn’t gone to their concerts and I had not auditioned for a choir since high school, but it seemed like the right time,” Denine said.

“It’s been fun making such gorgeous music together,” she said. “I like the varied repertoire and it stretches you. My range has increased.”

She said she has learned so much more about music as a chorale member because director Paul Rusterholz chooses great music.

“I’ve also learned different languages,” Denine said.

The Roods joined the La Crosse Chamber Chorale last fall.

“It’s something we can do together, and we can spend time together practicing and enjoying the concerts together,” Jeff said. “And both set of grandparents can still enjoy our singing.”

Jeff said he is excited to bring a great choir to his church.

“It’s a chance for people in La Crescent to hear really good music, and it’s also a way to let people in the chamber chorale know our roots,” Jeff said.

“We love music at Prince of Peace, and we have good acoustics for choral singing,” he said.

The concert features a magical music theme with pieces such as “Magic Songs” by Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer and “That Old Black Magic.”

In a big way, singing brought the Roods together.

Denine sang in La Crosse Central High School’s Robed Choir and Jeff sang in choir, and played trombone at La Crescent High School.

“Music has always been a big part of our life,” Jeff said.

Jeff was a freshman member of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Collegiates when he saw Denine, then a Central senior, for the first time after she joined the college show choir.

“I turned to the guy next to me, and I said, ‘I’m going to marry that girl,’” Jeffrey said.

Jeff is an investment executive with Merchants Bank in Onalaska. Denine is dean of business education at Western Technical College. They have three children — Alyssa, 22, Sam, 19, and Alex, 16. Denine writes music and has recorded a compact disc, “Reach.”

In the chorale, Denine sings soprano and Jeff sings bass.

“The chorale is so much fun but also is a lot of work,” Jeff said. “It’s phenomenal singing wonderful music with wonderful voices.”