Mid-Missouri Christian Choir takes to the Solid Rock stage

A mix of traditional and nontraditional Christmas music with a gospel base will be featured at an upcoming concert in Jefferson City.

The Mid-Missouri Christian Choir will perform a free concert at 6 p.m. Sunday at Solid Rock Church, 508 Hunters Run Road.

The group includes 35 members mostly from Cole, Boone and Callaway counties. They have been traveling to area venues for the last seven years and began about 10 years ago with a small performance at a rural high school during a church service. More than 135 individuals have sung in the choir since it began.

"We bring a lot of passion and energy to our performances," choir member Joshua Meranda said. "It's far from boring."

This year the group will perform Bradley Knight's "The Nativity Symphony." The program will last about 75 minutes and feature music of many genres, 13 soloists, and a local group of dancers involved in the telling of this story of love and salvation.

"I've been singing since I was 5, and I hadn't heard of the songs we'll be doing," Meranda said. "They're fresh and not hum-drum stuff."

The choir is directed by Jefferson City resident Brian Smith, and they already are looking to add new members for next season.

"I didn't sing in the choir growing up, and a friend introduced me to this choir," Meranda said. "We've got people who have been signing for 40 years and those who are just starting to read music. We take all kinds of people. This music calls for strict harmony, and we've got it."