Maranatha Gospel Choir is a group of people singing gospel songs. The choir was formed in 2006, since then it has been actively performing throughout the Czech Republic and abroad. The group’s repertoire consists of cover songs, mainly from artists such as Kirk Franklin (USA), Deon Kipping (USA), Brian Fentress (USA), Hans Christian Jochimsen (Denmark), Claes Wegener (Denmark) and others. The ensemble is one of the largest gospel choirs in Czechia. It also appears in smaller formations. The musical accompaniment consists of a group of professional musicians: “Johny” Bálek (keys), Radim Genčev (bass guitar), Karel Bárta (guitar), Onřej “Pompo” Pomajsl (drums). The choir also regularly collaborates with interesting local and foreign musicians. The open GOSPEL SUMMER CAMP is a traditional annual activity with a guest from international gospel community. Anyone can sign up! The choir released a live concert DVD set in 2009 and 2012.

Gospel is a musical style based on the spiritual music of Afro-American inhabitants. The so-called spirituals, in which slaves reflected on their life situation, became the basis of the gospel. Later, at the beginning of the 19th century, a new musical genre was born, primarily to worship with the goal to glorify God. That is why every gospel song is a testimony of people’s experience with God. At the same time, gospel music also became the basis for the development of other musical styles, for example Soul and RnB. The English word gospel (“good spell”) comes from the Greek and we translate it as “good news”; good news about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Maranatha Gospel Choir rehearses every Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. in the premises of the Adventist Church in Londýnská street no. 30, in Prague 2. The choir is a Registered Association and is a secondary organization of the Londýnská Social Centre.