The Vallejo Choral Society will throw its annual fundraising gala and concert on March 16 at the Springbrook Masonic Temple — this time on “The Nature of Love.”

This season of concerts have all been focused on love, each with different forms highlighted at each show, says Artistic Director and Conductor Julia Morris.

“This concert is focused around nature and romance and how oftentimes when poets talk about love, imagery within nature is used as a metaphor,” she said.

While the first concert was focused on community and familial love, the final concert of the season in May focuses on love for humankind and “your fellow man,” says Morris. “One kind of unifying theme of love throughout the year.”

In addition to the music, the gala will have food, wine, silent auction items and a good view.

Although the Masonic Temple is its normal week night rehearsal space, there is something special about performing with a full view of Vallejo and the Bay Area, says Morris, calling it “a really wonderful setting.”

The money raised from the gala will go towards Vallejo Choral Society’s final concert and the beginning of the next season, she says.

The final concert will feature an orchestra in addition to the choral performance.

“Works that are masterworks, that require hiring orchestras, can get expensive,” says Morris.

For the upcoming concert, the choir and pianists will perform selected works by Florence Price, Johannes Brahms and Carlos Guastavino in addition to small group performances.

“She has lovely, lovely, choral settings, kind of these choral shorts, that are set to really moving poetry by several different poets,” Morris said of Price’s compositions. “It kind of lusts for nature in a sense.”

Guastavino’s work is heavily influenced by his Argentinian heritage and his exceptional piano skills, she says.

Paul Caccamo and Kymry Eskainko will be the featured pianists for the gala, but for some songs they will have slightly less space to work with than normal. For Brahms’ piece, an extra set of hands on the piano is needed.

“So we’ll have a second pianist sitting on the same bench, sharing the same keyboard,” says Morris.

“They all have a different style of composition,” says Morris of the composers, adding that it can be a challenge for a choir to master so many different techniques. “I think the choir has really enjoyed getting to know the music,” says Morris.

The Vallejo Choral Society is a non-auditioned choir with 45-50 members, says Morris, who is “always looking for more singers.”

Learn more at vallejochoral.org

If you go …

WHAT: “The Nature of Love”

WHEN: March 16, 2 p.m.

WHERE: Springbrook Masonic Temple, 101 Temple Way, Vallejo.