The Dessoff Choirs will present its final concert of the season, Bach’s B Minor Mass, on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at 4 p.m. at Mother AME Zion Church (140 W 137th St, New York, NY 10030). The performance will feature a full period orchestra and soloists under the direction of Music Director Malcolm J. Merriweather.
The concert coincides with Merriweather’s tenth anniversary leading The Dessoff Choirs and his tenth year on the faculty of Brooklyn College. The program will include current Conservatory students, alumni, and former Dessoff assistant conductors as soloists.
“Sung by soloists who have stood alongside this ensemble over the years, this performance feels less like a concert and more of a homecoming through shared artistry,” Merriweather said. Featured soloists include Melissa Attebury, George Baolin, Patrice Pates Eaton, and Nicole Osmolovskya.
The program highlights works by Johann Sebastian Bach and is performed by a chorus of 80 singers and a Baroque orchestra. The event also celebrates the centennial of Mother AME Zion Church’s current building, a historic venue at the heart of Harlem’s cultural life.
Founded in 1924 by Margarete Dessoff, The Dessoff Choirs has a century-long tradition of performing rare, newly composed, and historically significant choral works. Under Merriweather’s leadership, the ensemble has highlighted works by Black women composers, commissioned new pieces, and collaborated with major orchestras.
Tickets and additional information are available at Dessoff Choirs.
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