COMMUNITY CONCERT CHOIR of BALTIMORE, INC. CHRISTMAS CONCERT  

Annual Concert Benefits Outreach Programs 

December 5, 2023 (Baltimore, MD) — Hundreds of music lovers from the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan Area are expected to fill the United House of Prayer for All People on Sunday, 

December 17 at 5 p.m. for the annual Christmas concert of the Community Concert Choir of Baltimore (CCCB), Inc.  The chorus, comprised of more than 150 singers, will present a full repertoire of Christmas music, including classical selections from Handel’s Messiah, traditional carols, Negro spirituals, and gospel selections of the season. Each year, the annual concert draws a capacity crowd. 

“We are thrilled to sponsor again this Christmas concerts as a way to perpetuate the beautiful music that sets the tone for this season of love, joy and peace on earth,” said Dr. Brad R. Braxton, Senior Pastor of The Open Church.  “We support the community in our commitment to diversity, radically inclusive love and courageous social justice activism.  Everyone is welcome to this special concert as we celebrate the season and garner resources to support others through our ministries in the community.” 

The December 17 program takes place is just two days before the choir and many patrons (nearly 300 people) will tour Rome Italy for live recordings and a visit to the Vatican.  The Christmas concert features special guest soprano Janice Chandler Eteme, organist W. Patrick Alston, pianist Marcus Smith and other instrumentalists, under the direction of Dr. Marco K. Merrick, who established the aggregation in 2010. 

“This is a great launching pad for our first over-seas tour and ample opportunity for the community to enjoy a wonderful Christmas concert, while wishing us well,” says Marco K. Merrick, founding director. “We are excited and honored for this rich experience to share our musical gifts and talents in partnership with Baltimore’s Eric Waddell and The Abundant Life Singers. Rome will never be the same.” 

The CCCB has become a noted musical force in the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan area, attracting capacity audiences at its signature concerts each spring, fall and Christmas. Since its inception, the choir has presented numerous performances across the state, including the Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington, D.C., Morgan State University, the Baltimore Convention Center for national and Baltimore’s Cathedral of Mary Our Queen.   

This concert is free and open to the public.  The United House of Prayer for All People is located at 3401 Edgewood St., at Liberty Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215.  A freewill offering will be received during the concert, and a holiday reception will be held following the concert. Proceeds will support outreach programs sponsored by The Open Church of Maryland.  For further information, visit www.theopenchurchmd.org — www.cccbmore.org or contact CCCB Founding Director 

Marco K. Merrick at 410-294-2991  marcomerrick@aol.com.